The Tale of Drallison
by SlytherinMew
Summary: Everyone goes back to Hogwarts to graduate but as it is four years after the Triwizard Tournament, they will have to live the Tournament all over again. And what happens when Draco discovers that the girl he's hated for seven years and who has saved his life in the final battle is dragged into the Tournament against her will?
1. Chapter One

**Hello there! New fanfiction for me, first Harry Potter themed one so if some people are OOC it's totally normal. As for the OCs, they are presented (physically and mentally) on tumblr in the link presented on my profile. I haven't written in months and this thing is kind of a redeeming before I finish my other unfinished stuff... So yeah, enough babbling here's the first chapter!**

**Edit:**** Big thanks to Twilightmoonbeams for the corrections!**

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><p><strong>Chapter One:<strong>

She walks hurriedly outside of the Leaky Cauldron, her purse at the crease of her right elbow and her coat on the other side, without looking in front of her. Allison Lively is late for a job interview, actually, at the Zabini manor, to be a personal nurse to the oldest member of their family. She knew whose family it was, naturally. Blaise used to be a classmate of hers at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and they were even in the same house: Slytherin. Curious, really, that an innocent and lonelymuggle-born was put in such a selective house. Ally would never forget her first day there…

_Her parents had accompanied her to the train station, but having no idea as to how to get on platform 9 and 3/4, they decided to wait for someone who knew Hogwarts and ask them how to get on the platform. After nearly half an hour of trying to decipher the wizards from their fellow muggles, a rather eccentric-dressed old woman appeared in the crowd. She was flanked by a sleepy looking boy, roughly Allison's age, rolling his luggage upon which sat a quiet toad. The woman complained loudly about how disorganized that 'muggle'-station was. Ally's father knew the word meant non-magic people after hearing it from a redhead father in Diagon Alley, whohelped the newcomers adapt to the extraordinary world. His name was something like Arthur Weasby, the eleven year-old remembered. The lady on the train station kindly helped her and her parents access the platform after saying that her last name and her grandson's was Longbottom. The little girl muffled a snort and her mother glared at her, hissing "Manners, Allison!" under her breath._

_The platform was overly crowded, mainly with adults and tall train was bright red and, unlike on the muggle platform, steam-monitored. She gave her luggage to an attendant who smiled at her as he lifted her trunk. Occasionally her parents spent a few weeks abroad for work while Allison stayed with her cousins. Aside from that, she had never been separated from them. She hugged her mother tightly and her father lifted her so that she could hug him with both arms and legs._

_They said their goodbyes and she went inside the train holding her month old grey angora cat**,** whom she still couldn't find a name for**,** on one arm and her school uniform on the other. She walked up and down compartments looking for some room for herself. One compartment held four boys only so she figured that she could sit there with them. There was a chocolate-skinned boy sitting next to a boy with platinum blond hair, who stared at her with obvious disgust, in front of them were one tall plump boy next to a short and equally as thick one._

_"Can I sit here?" she asked shyly._

_"Name" said the blond shortly._

_"Allison Lively," she said hesitantly "why?"_

_"I don't know you," he replied simply "and if I don't know you, you're not worthy of sitting here."_

_"Listen here, you little albino, wizard or not**,** I'm not going to let you decide anything for me. I've always stood up for myself and you're never going to change that!" she said without pausing once._

_"And a Mudblood on top of that!" was his falsely-impressed response._

_She huffed as she didn't understand the word he'd used to insult her, she would never show any weakness in front of him or any other bully, ever. She continued on her quest for a place to sit and found a compartment occupied by two girls and a sleeping Longbottom boy she recognized from the train station._

_"Can I sit here?" She whispered._

_"Of course," said one girl without lifting her eyes off of her book "I'm Hermione Granger, what's your name?"_

_"Allison Lively" she said warily, expecting the same scenario as with the blond._

_"I'm Rebecca Cole" said the second girl._

_"That's Neville Longbottom, right there. I suppose that he isn't quite used to waking up early." said Hermione with a sorry look before resuming her reading._

_"Yeah, my parents and I met him and his grandma at the train station. They showed us how to get on the platform," said Allison as she sat with her kitten on her lap._

_"Oh, so you're a Muggle-born!" squealed Rebecca excitedly "Just like she is!"_

_"Shhh!" hissed Hermione as Neville stirred in his sleep._

_"Sorry," Rebecca mouthed._

_"What about you?" Ally asked._

_"I'm Half-Blood," she said casually._

_"Meaning that..?"_

_"My mum is a pure blood and my dad is a Muggle-born," she explained._

_"Can I ask you something?" Allison asked._

_"Of course," said Rebecca and Hermione nodded, absentminded._

_"What's a Mudblood?"_

_Both heads jerked up, shock easily read on their faces. Rebecca's eyes were wide and Hermione was fishing for words**. **Finally, Allison realized that what she had said was probably a mean INSULT._

_"It's a foul word to designate Muggle-borns, never used in civilized conversations" said Hermione in a strained voice, returning to her book with pinched lips._

_"Where did you hear that?" asked Rebecca._

_"A boy called me that. I don't know how he figured out what kind of witch I am. He asked for my name and that's all."_

_"Do you know his name?"_

_"No, just that he was so blond he looked like an albino. Well, I did call him that before he insulted me, but that was because his tone was insulting."_

_"Must be a Malfoy," scoffed Rebecca "his father's always mean to mine at the Ministry of Magic."_

_"Well whoever he is, I'm not being disrespected" she decided._

_"'Morning," mumbled a boy's voice, Neville had woken up "where's Trevor?"_

_"Who?" asked Allison._

_"Trevor, my toad" he clarified._

_"Oh… I haven't seen it" she said._

_"Trevor?" he called looking in between luggage "He must've gone away. I'll go look for him." He stood up and walked out of the compartment._

_"I'll see if he needs any help," said Hermione as she closed her book and stood up._

_Rebecca and Allison stayed in the compartment and continued their conversation. Later on, a disappointed Neville and a rather fascinated Hermione got back to the compartment and spoke about the presence of a Henry Potter being inside the train. Allison didn't question it, must've been the Minister of Magic's son or something. She and Rebecca put on their robes and fled the train as it stopped at nightfall. The kitten, which had fallen asleep right when she sat down in the compartment, woke up frightened again at the sight of so many people going about. She hid the female kitten inside her robes and was careful not to crush her. A giant bearded long haired man with an odd accent led the first years to boats that transported them to a well-lit castle. A tall, black-haired witch wearing a long emerald colored velvet dress and a pointed black hat was waiting for the first years at the top of the stairs shown to them by the giant named Hagrid._

_"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said he._

_"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here**,**" he left for the Great Hall and she turned to them**.** "Welcome to Hogwarts, the start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your houses will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house**'s** common room.**"**_

_"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points and inversely any rulebreaking will lose your house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting._

_Her eyes lingered on Neville's cloak an instant, and Allison tried to fix her brown blonde hair as much as she possibly could while another boy nervously attempted to flatten his black hair._

_"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."_

_She left and whispered conversations broke out. Hermione was whispering very fast about everything she'd learned already. A gasp made everyone turn around to see about twenty ghosts, pearly-white and slightly transparent. Theyglided across the room deep in conversation about someone named Peeves and how they already forgave him enough. One round and plump named Fat Friar said he hoped to see most of the students in Hufflepuff, his old house. McGonagall came back moments later, telling them to form a line and follow her. They were led inside the gigantic Great Hall where four endless tables with benches on either side were placed perpendicular to a fifth elevated table which held teachers and the bearded headmaster. Allison looked up to find a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars and for an insane moment she thought that there was no ceiling at all._

_Hermione caught her gaze "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in _Hogwarts: A History._"_

_"Looks pretty real to me," Allison mumbled._

_She looked at the faces of the students. One table on the left only had occupants with blue ties and blazons: they looked at the first years in a friendly way. Behind them was a table with nasty, haughty looking students wearing dark green features to their black cloaks and uniforms underneath. To Allison's right was a table with peaceful looking students wearing yellow and behind them were the cheerful red and gold uniforms. A voice from in front of her said a loud "HUFFLEPUFF!" guiding Allison's gaze toward a girl named Susan who jumped off of a four-legged wooden stool to go sit with the cheering yellow-dressed students. Ally then followed the Sorting Ceremony and when one student was sent to the Slytherin house she heard the redhead tell the nervous black haired boy that there wasn't one bad wizard who wasn't in Slytherin. She gulped hard and hoped that she wouldn't be sorted to that house._

_"Malfoy, Draco!" called Professor McGonagall._

_The platinum-haired boy stomped confidently toward the stool and sat on it. The Sorting hat had yet to touch his head before it exclaimed "Slytherin!" and he went to the green-dressed students' table. She turned back to McGonagall who glanced at her list and called again. Allison knew that name. She knew whose it was. It was hers! She drew in a deep shaky breath and walked somewhat steadily to the stool. Stairs, why did it have to be stairs at that place? At that moment? Never mind that, why did she even have to face so many people in the first place? No time for the answers, she was sitting on the stool before she even realized that she was moving. The hat felt dusty**, **and oddly heavy**,** on her brown blonde shoulder-length hair**.**_

_"Interesting, very interesting" it said thoughtfully "I see courage, a bright mind and a strong tongue as well… The perfect house for you would be… SLYTHERIN!"_

_Shock ran through her spine at once, she froze on the stool, sure that she had misheard the talking hat**,** or at least that it had made a mistake it was about to correct… But none of that happened, instead she walked stiffly to the table at her right where the green-dressed students were applauding her… The redhead's words haunted her. _Not one bad wizard wasn't in Slytherin...

_After the rest of the first years were sorted, the headmaster made a speech and the feast appeared on the tables at once. Allison was neither impressed by the magic nor was she feeling hungry at all. The news of her attributed house made her stomach toss and turn**, **making it impossible for her to even look at food. Instead, she rubbed her cat between eyes and ears letting the purring appease her and thinking of a name for the little fur ball._

Shaking her head, Allison sighs at the memory. She shuffles through the door only to bump into someone in a black-on-black suit so tall that she, who stands at 5'2", is facing his black button down shirt. Ally looks up, only to be taken aback by who it is…


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two:**

"D-Draco?" she mumbles.

He looks down at her "Oh… You?"

She erases the surprise on her face and says "Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going."

"Where are you heading?" he asks.

She stares at him like he had three heads, he never paid attention to her, let alone care "I-I uh… I was on my way to a job interview…"

"Oh…" he hesitates for a moment and then nods "Good luck."

"Thanks" she says warily.

After that very odd meeting, she hurries to the Disapparating zone closest to the Zabini manor. This is actually the seventh job interview that she has since the school year ended with the Dark Lord's death and every single time that she gets interviewed people always ask to see her Hogwarts diploma, and when she says that she doesn't have it she gets dismissed. Allison decided that if she gets yet another refusal she would go back to Hogwarts in order to graduate or even ask to teach there if possible. She does know a bit of potions, and they're short on teachers since that final battle. Hell, she could even become a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, for all she knew! After all—

"Can I ask you something?" says he, cutting off her thoughts.

She turns to look at Draco "Of course"

"Why did you save my life?" he asks.

Suddenly, everything else disappeared. The memories of the final battle came rushing in. She was running for the Great Hall, dodging Stunning Spells and Unforgivables, trying to find protection. She hid behind a door while a jet of red light passed right where she was standing half a second ago. She Stunned the attacker before arrivingat a rather quiet part of the castle where four figures were fighting. She recognized two of them as Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini going up against two merciless Death Eaters. She stayed hidden for the most part but when Blaise got Stunned and fell to the floor leaving Draco alone against two Death Eaters, she decided to help the person who had despised her the most during her years at Hogwarts.

"Stupefy!" Draco yelled pointing his wand at one of his opponents but she was faster.

"Expelliarmus!" the Death Eater said, rather enraged, Disarming Draco.

"Protego!" Allison ran to Draco's side and procured a shield to separate them from the dark wizards.**"**Come on, it won't last long!" she muttered pulling him by the sleeve.

He blinked once with an awestruck expression on his face before grabbing his wand and following her to one of the Herbology green houses which were deserted. She slid down the wall and sighed as he held his knees eager for a chance to catch his breath while she gazed at him from the corner of her eye, he looked wounded and his left sleeve was torn so that she could see the Dark Mark. It was true, then. He was one of them.

"Why were they attacking you?" she asked suddenly without meaning to.

He frowned at her "What do you mean?"

She eyed his Dark Mark speculatively before saying "Aren't you supposed to be one of them?"

He looked at his left forearm as if he'd just notice he had one "I've kind of never met those, right there. I'm on the other side regardless."

Insanely, she giggled "The other side, huh?"

He looked at her as if she were crazy — which she understood — and a smile played at the edges of his lips as he said "Too many people I know on one side and not enough power on the other"

"Are you hurt?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"Is your body wounded?" she asked, emphasizing the 'body' part.

He nodded "My leg, I think"

She stood up and took a pair of scissors from the tool-shelf and cut a leaf that she knew would help any physical pain.

"Pants up" she instructed. He stared at her incredulously "Come on, Muggle blood isn't contagious."

He shook his head as if shaking the idea away "No, it's not that but… Why?"

She knew what he meant but she derived the subject "This leaf is great with physical pain, eases almost everything besides the Cruciatus Curse because—"

"—because it's a trick on the mind rather than the body itself" he said and it was her turn to stare at him."I do listen in class" he said smirking.

"Well that's shocking" she said in a monotone voice.

"Never thought you would be any good at Herbology either," he said grinning as she massaged the cut on his left calf with the leaf "thanks it really helps."

"You're very welcome," she sighed standing back up "in exchange I'll ask for you not to try and kill me," she added giggling.

He chuckled "There's no way that would happen."

That was the most pleasant and civilized conversation that she's ever had with Draco Malfoy. Until this most recent event, that is. She can't think straight, can't think of a good enough response for his question.

She clears her throat "I helped you because you were outnumbered and clearly not at ease with a wand"

"It was my mother's, mine was… I lost it" he says looking away.

"I've had classes with you for six years; I know what your wand looks like. Harry Potter was using it. Probably Disarmed you at some point or something, but that's my mere assumption."

He shakes his head, she's avoiding the subject, it's obvious "Why did you come at my rescue when, in your mind, I wouldn't have done the same for you?"

"_In my mind_?" she checks her watch meaningfully rather than for its main purpose and coldly says "I should be going, we'll probably meet another day…"

With that, she Disapparates leaving him to his tormented thoughts as he too Disapparates. He arrives in front of the silver gates, not his home's in fact. He is going to play a trick on Allison, make his family's oldest friends require a Hogwarts diploma from their interviewee. He knows the spell to let himself in. He greets his old friend's mother and goes straight to the study where he knows he will find that old wizard he is looking for. He knocks and the French doors open to reveal a huge mahogany desk surrounded with floor-to-ceiling book shelves and the Zabini family tree illustrated in a tapestry. Behind the desk is a silver-haired wrinkled man wearing rectangular glasses, Draco knows him as Edmund Zabini, Blaise's grandfather.

"Well, if it isn't little Draco Malfoy," he says with an old, raspy voice "what brings you here so early, son?"

"I hear you're hiring," says Draco, a plan forming in his head "and I happen to know today's candidate very well."

"Do you, now?" he asks leaning in, clearly interested.

"Allison Lively, am I correct?" Draco asks back, without waiting for an answer he carries on "Careless, lazy… Between you and me, Edmund, I don't even think that she's a pure."

"Muggle-Borns are no problem to me, son,never have been," he says eyeing Draco expectantly "You should know that…"

Draco coughs nervously "Naturally, sir. Did I tell you that she did not even pass her NEWTs?"

"Did she not?" he says clearly unimpressed. "What about you? And what about that cousin of yours?"

Draco's mouth fell "Uh— I— I uh…"

"I will only employ Miss Lively on one condition," says Edmund.

"Which is..?"

He clears his throat "You, along with Lively and your cousin, have to go back to Hogwarts for your seventh year. I want to see you three and my grandson in this office a year from now with the proof that you have graduated, and I will not take no for an answer. If this is not accomplished, you, instead of Lively, will do the work that she's applying for today. Is it clear?"

Draco cringes at the thought of having to take care of the man in front of him "Crystal clear," he stands up and shakes his hand "pleasure to see you, Edmund, my greetings to your grandson."

"Naturally," he says with a satisfied smirk.

Draco leaves the study rather swiftly, eager to leave this God forsaken house. He pushes past Lively on his way out hardly paying her any attention**,** all the while ignoring her questions about his presence at the Manor. He Disapparates to his home, where the two most important females of his life are mother, Narcissa, is filled with grief ever since the final battle: her husband is in Azkaban, her eldest sister is dead and her estranged sister is taking care of her orphan Half-Blood second most important female in his life is his cousin, best friend, confidant who also lost her parents in that final battle. Draco lost his two best friends, more or less, in that battle too. Not to mention his father's imprisonment. All in all, life could have been better.

He appears in a _'crack' _in front of the Malfoy manor, thrice as big as the Zabinis', and endless times more luxurious. Draco ignores the house elf that suggests he hang his vest, ignores his mother asking him where he's been and makes his way as fast as he can without actually jogging to his cousin's room.

Victoria Malfoy,physically she could be his twin sister with her light grey eyes, mid-back length platinum blond hair and cocky facial expressions. But when it comes to personality, they're even more alike. Draco thinks it's because they grew up together but Victoria thinks it's because their parents were so alike. Whatever the reason, their similarities have made them best of friends and confidants. Being Victoria's best friend has its perks, but the cons of it are just as pronounced: her teasing, her fake haughtiness around other people and mostly the fact that Draco knows exactly how she will take Edmund Zabini's proposal. Draco braces himself and knocks on the door…


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three:**

Victoria, unlike what most people may think, isn't haughty, she isn't pure blood obsessed and she's definitely not racist towards Half-Bloods and Muggle-Borns. Hell, she even likes how Muggle-Borns are so impressed by magic! But with her family background, her parents' expectations… It's better for her to pretend otherwise and hide her fondness of such 'unnatural' aspects. She's currently in her bed chamber at Malfoy manor, reading a classical Muggle book she stole from a store one day: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, pretty good but not enough. Her chamber consists of a vast bedroom with a semi-circle balcony hidden with heavy, silver velvet curtains on either side and white, silken, veil-like curtains in the center; a white marble and silver coiffeuse on the wall opposite the entry, a white and gold velvet couch on the right wall, and a king-size four-poster bed with black silk bed sheets and silver velvet drapes. On the right is het study, with overflowing ebony bookshelves, her father's –Marcus Malfoy II- giant portrait on the wall right behind her black leather desk chair, a mahogany desk and two chairs on the other side of the desk. Her bathroom is all white marble, her bathtub has golden legs and her full-length mirror has similarly coloured borders.

She is on her way to replace the book when she hears a hesitant knock on her door; she frowns and makes her way toward the source of sound. Victoria opens the door and sees an almost scared Draco standing awkwardly at the entrance.

"Since when do you knock on this door?" she asks raising a well-shaped brow at him.

He swallows hard before storming in her study and sitting on her desk chair "Do you love me?"

Her eyes nearly fall off of their orbs before she stammers "Uhh— you— I mean, you're fine and all and— and I know our families do marry cousins for blood purposes but I jus— I just don't see you that way, you could be my brother for all I know!"

He chuckles lightly before saying "I meant as a brother, Vicky. Do you love me as a brother?"

She takes her first breath since her five-second, clumsy speech, and says "Of course I do, why?"

"Would you do something for me?" he asks.

She folds her arms over her chest and shifts her weight on her left leg "What'd you want, Malfoy?"

He knows his request is doomed when she does this, but asks anyway "Would you like to go to Hogwarts one last year and graduate?"

"What the bloody f—?"

"Language, young lady!" says Marcus Malfoy from his portrait behind the desk.

"Sorry Dad," she says "What hatred would compel you to ask me such a thing?"

He fills her in on the morning's events: the meeting with Lively, the plan he had in mind, and finally, Edmund's dare. She just loses it.

"You did WHAT?!" she practically yells at him.

"Hey, hey he does have a point," he objects raising his hands as a protection "We should just graduate so that we can be able to work later and—"

"I DO NOT want to work! I'll just marry an overly rich slightly stupid guy! Hell, I'll even use the Imperius Curse to do so, but I WILL NOT go back to school just because you fell into a trap!" she approaches him and draws out her wand threateningly.

"Wow stop that, you're not seventeen yet!" he stammers poking his vest for his mother's wand.

"So what?" she asks, her voice terrifyingly soft "They're going to expel me? How horrible**!"**

"Not if you kill me," he gulps "then you'll have to say 'hello' to my father, if you know what I mean."

She purses her lips and retracts her hand slowly "Why did you want to sabotage her interview anyway?"

"Because I wanted to play a sort of last prank on her, you know" he says casually, still eying her wand.

"Why?" she asks loudly "Are you still so childish?"

"I uh… Listen, do you promise not to tell anyone?" he asks, surrendering.

She nods "Do you not know to trust me, by now?"

"I know, sorry it's just that I don't know what to think of it." he says.

"My room. Now." she says sharply.

He looks at her curiously but follows her as she goes to her nightstand and picks a quill and paper to write "Put up whichever Silencing Spell that you know!" he obeys almost immediately making her bedroom silent to everyone but them two.

"Now speak, from the very start, I want to know everything."

He sits on her bed and she follows "Well you remember that final battle, right?"

"I remember how Voldemort hugged you better," she starts laughing out loud as he glowers at her making her stop. "Okay, sorry. Yeah, I remember. What about it?"

"Well at one moment I was outnumbered by Death Eaters, and—"

She cuts in again "I thought you were on the Dark side?"

He glares at her before saying "Don't interrupt me again, and I just realized that Voldemort was doomed so Blaise and I started fighting Death Eaters. Any last questions?"

"Not a question but when I say to tell me from the start, you'd better tell me the bloody start. Go on." she turns to him, her head on her right hand and her elbow on the bed.

He sighs "Alright so, we were fighting and one of them Stunned Blaise so I was alone against two Death Eaters when she came and practically saved my life—" she raises her left hand, asking for permission to talk "Yes?"

"No surprise, there. Not only do you suck at combat but she was running all over the castle to help everyone who she thought needed help. She helped Loony Lovegood, one or two Weasleys and Lavender Brown before that vampire flayed her. Too bad she wasn't able to save the Weasley girl from Aunt Bella before the mother killed her…"

"How doyou know so much about it when you were battling, yourself?" Draco asks.

She shrugs "I have good eyes and an even better memory, I'm thinking of buying a Pensieve to store every important memory I can."

"She saved you, didn't she?" he asks, looking at her sternly.

She sighs "Well yes, even I need help sometimes. Greyback had me in a corner, Disarmed me and was about to Cruciatus me, that bastard! She Stunned him just in time and handed me my wand before leaving, always on the run she must've lost a few pounds that day, I'm telling you!" she stammers again to make him forget that weak moment she's just told him.

A smile plays at the edges of his lips before he says "Well when I ask her why she saved me, she never truly answers which I found annoying and I went to sabotage her interview…"

She takes his silence to add "And condemn me to go back to that school full of people full of themselves and Blood-Status obsessed jerks in Slytherin, thanks a lot. You're the best." she says, sarcasm oozing out of her voice.

His dawning smile drops "I'm sorry, I don't want to go there either. I'm the traitor, remember? The one who was there when Dumbledore died, the one who brought Death Eaters to Hogwarts, and the worst yet: the one who Voldemort awkwardly hugged in front of all Death Eaters, teachers, students and members of the Order of the Phoenix."

Victoria loses it at that and laughs so hard that her belly hurts and tears slide down her face ruining her makeup while he stares at her patiently waiting for her outburst to subside. After about ten minutes, she finally calms down and goes to the bathroom to wash off the mascara and eyeliner. She comes back and sits on her bed.

"Are you done?" he asks.

"I'm certainly not, Mr. Malfoy," she says glaring at him "You got me into Hog-crap for an extra year; I laugh at your face if I want to and you have nothing to say about it."

"Alright, alright… So say, how are we going to enroll again if they don't send us the letters?"

"Don't you know Zabini by now?" she asks and he frowns "He must be sending our applications at this exact moment, the man is probably extra worried about our education now that you went to him and tried to be a smartass."

"Language, Victoria," he sighs.

"Is your name Marcus?" she asks.

"No..?" he says unsure.

"Then shut the hell up!" she exclaims.

He scoffs and stands up on his way out but she speaks again.

"Hey I think it's the Triwizard Tournament, this year"

He turns to her abruptly "The what?!"

"The Triwizard Tournament, you know dangerous, deadly, fame and stuff…" she says casually.

"It's this year?" he asks.

She nods "Positive, the last one was four years ago"

"Mother is going to flip, she'll hardly let us attend" he sighs.

"I'll talk to her, don't worry" she says.

"Thanks Vicky," he says.

With that, he exits her chamber and takes off the Silencing Spell as he goes. She goes back to her bathroom and stares at her reflection in the full length mirror. She is wearing wide white silken shorts and a white tank top. Not the best outfit to talk to her extremely conventional aunt. The messy blonde bun isn't the right hairdo either, not to mention the ruined makeup courtesy of Draco. Victoria takes off the hair tie along withthe rest of her clothes to take a bath. If she's going to speak to her aunt, her hair better be straight again instead of looking like oddly squished brass wires tousled from the hair tie. The Slytherin Beater then put on a white sundress. She wore her hair in a neat side braid over her right shoulder and put on just enough makeup to give herself the subtle glow of a porcelain doll. Victoria then asks a house elf where Narcissa is and goes to the drawing room as she is directed. She knocks on the thick wooden door and hears her aunt's frail voice.

"Come in.**"**

"Hello, Aunt Cissy," she says as she walks in. "How are you, today?"

"Quite alright, thank you dear," she says sweetly with her breathy voice.

"There is… Something I'd like to ask you, more like a request," she says as she sits down on an armchair next to her aunt.

"What is it?" she says looking up from her embroidery.

"You see, Draco and I are really concerned about our futures. Without our Hogwarts diploma, we will never be able to have apply for properwork and we will always be looked down upon… So what I ask of you is to let us go back to Hogwarts for this year, re-do our seventh year in order to take our NEWTs." she says with full composure, hiding the slightest signs of stress and anticipation.

"I expect there is a 'but', isn't there?" she asks suspiciously.

"But," Victoria says emphasizing the word "This year will also be the Triwizard Tournament, therefore I ask you not to worry about us—"

"No, no you will not attend," she says sharply, standing up "I forbid it!"

"Please, Aunt Cissy, I promise I will not put my name in the Goblet and I will see that he doesn't either I'll even Stun him for that!" she begs.

Narcissa sits back down with a huff "It's dangerous, you children have no idea how… You know full-well what happened to my fool of a brother thirty years ago; he signed up for this hell pit of a game. He craved the fame and glory of the winner, but in the end… In the end he…" thewords die in her throat as she looks down at her folded hands across her lap.

Victoria walks over to her, kneels before her and puts her hands on her aunt's before murmuring soothingly "Aunt Cissy, we know how much pain that put you through, we realize how averse you feel toward that hell pit and we'd rather die than cause you any more harm than what you've already experienced.

"All we're interested in is our studies, our futures… If we don't work properly we will soon decrease in wealth, our heritage isn't enough to satisfy our lifestyle… You wouldn't want to sell this house, would you?"

Narcissa looks away "Fine. But I will disinherit any of you who put your names in that cursed Goblet, I'm warning you!"

"And you'd be right to do so," says Victoria standing back up "please do not worry about us, we will do our best to be the safest possible."

"I would hope so," she says with the frail voice again, getting back to her work.

"Your embroidery looks lovely, by the way," Victoria says as she is leaving the drawing room.

Victoria gently closes the door and walks toward her cousin's chamber, she opens the door without knocking and he looks at her expectantly.

"We can go but I have the liberty of Stunning you if you try to put your name in the Goblet of Fire," she says poking her head inside his room.

"Thank you! I cannot thank you enough!" he exclaims as he runs over to hug her.

She lets out a giggle before saying "Remember, you owe me you helpless male!"

**Hey there, I noticed the need for a good old A/N… Do you like this story? What do you dislike about it? I need to know, I need feedback to keep me going. By the way, Allison is supposed to be me and Victoria is inspired from a friend of mine and other(s) will come with time and chapters, which is if you guys are the least bit interested… Good day/night!**

**Edit:**** Big thanks to TwilightMoonbeams a.k.a Bri for her Beta reading of this story.**


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four:**

**Two Months Later**

Allison is back in Diagon Alley with her list of Hogwarts supplies in one hand and her cat, Shyvana, sitting in her cauldron in the other. She curses under her breath for the umpteenth time, swearing to herself to make that leech of a boy pay for it. Not only did he dare go to her potential employer's house to talk crap about her before her interview, but he got the dare to graduate and he took her and his cousin down with him. _This won't go unpunished_, she states in her mind as she makes her way toward Ollivander's to, as she does every year, make him check her wand. The brass bell rings as she opens the door to the renewed store, there is a client already and Allison would recognize that mass of curly blonde hair anywhere, anytime.

"Good morning, Luna. Mr. Ollivander," she says nodding at the old man.

"Oh, good morning Ally," says Luna sweetly "you're coming back to Hogwarts to graduate?"

"Yep!" she says making the 'p' pop.

"Did you break your wand, then?" she asks curiously.

Mr. Ollivander beats Allison at answering "No, it would never happen to little Miss Lively, right here. Each start of year, she comes to my store to make me check her wand. She is very careful with it, the wand's allegiance to her is unbreakable as I tell her each year, yet she always comes back."

She smiles shyly at them before showing the wand to him "I think that it really needs checking, this time, though. I've overused it."

"The 'expiration date' of a wand is its master's death, my dear," he says with a sly smile "but I can always check it."

"Thank you," she says and leans back on the counter "what about you, Luna? Any wand problems?"

"No, it's just that the new one doesn't work like my first wand, I need to test other wands. Plus I think I'd like to learn wand lore for later, it's fascinating!" she adds passionately.

"I think so too, maybe I'll open a Lively's," she giggles "it would be the most gratifying work that exists, seeing all those fascinated eleven year olds trying out their first wands is priceless!"

"I think so too," she says sweetly before flicking a wand, making a clumsy Patronus of what looks like a bunny appear.

"Not this one, then?" asks Ollivander as he puts down Allison's wand on the counter.

Just then, the bell rings and three figures with stark white hair enter: a young man, a young woman and a middle-aged woman. All of them are wearing chic, expensive outfits. Allison recognizes them as the Malfoys minus the father. She would very much like to express her discontent to the Malfoy son but his mother has always intimidated her, and his cousin might just tear out her throat or worse. She turns to Luna for them not to see her face.

"Mrs. Malfoy, what a pleasant surprise!" says Ollivander as he abandons his search for a potential wand for the blonde Ravenclaw "How can I help you?"

Draco gets closer to the counter and speaks before his mother can "I need a wand, Mr. Ollivander"

"Do you, son?" he says without further questioning it.

"Similar to my first one in shape, if possible," he says politely. His voice sounds strained.

"Of course, of course let me just…" he doesn't finish his sentence as he disappears behind newly stocked shelves.

"Hello, Looney," says Victoria smugly "wand problems?"

"Oh, not as big as Draco's but, yes," she says politely, ignoring Malfoy's sarcasm.

"Isn't this dear Lively, though?" she says poking the girl's shoulder.

Ally readies her fake smile and turns around —Narcissa is waiting for them outside— "Hello, Victoria," she says sweetly "how are you by this oh-so good morning?"

"Just as annoyed at Draco as you must be," she says with a huff, earning a look of disbelief from the boy.

Allison grins at the face he is pulling and says "I see he's told you what his smart mouth brought on us, huh?"

"Oh, yes," she says "I nearly killed him."

"For the record, 'he' is listening to what you're saying," he says plainly annoyed by now.

"So what?" she says earning a glare "Don't you glare at me, Draco Malfoy, I can use magic at Hogwarts and you won't like what you'll see."

He merely blinks at her "Really? What's the worst that you can do? 'Stupefy' me to death?"

"I can try," she says with a hint of pride.

"Will you try these, sir?" says Ollivander putting five long rectangular boxes on the counter.

Draco tries wand after wand and at the fifth he examines every single one closely and lift up the shortest.

"What is this made of?" Draco asks.

"Hawthorn and Dragon heartstring, sir" Ollivander says.

"How long does it take to make a wand?" Ally asks, making everyone frown.

"About three weeks, Miss," he says.

"Make a wand identical to his first and send it to Hogwarts, he'll try both and send the less effective back to you, if you'd like," she says politely.

Ollivander nods slowly "Fast thinking, Miss Lively, quite fast in fact," he says sounding impressed.

"No doubt," says Victoria, surprisingly honest.

"I took wand lore in sixth year," she explains.

Draco frowns even more "I don't remember having that option, in sixth year…"

"Don't you?" Allison says rhetorically before turning to Ollivander "Would that be possible, sir?"

"Of course, of course young lady," he says "your wand is unharmed, by the way."

"Oh, thank you so much, I'm rather late in fact I should be going," she says grabbing her wand "I'll see you later, Luna. I'll see you next year, Mr. Ollivander." she turns to the other two and nods "Malfoys."

"Later, Lively," says Victoria as Draco merely nods.

She gets out of the store, wishes a good day to Narcissa, and continues her shopping while the Malfoys look for new cloaks. Victoria, as usual, is easy to satisfy. Draco, on the other hand, is an actual pain to the seller.

"This cloak is too wide," he complains.

"For heaven's sake, Draco, it's a cloak!" exclaims Vicky, unnerved by now.

"A cloak that makes me look half-giant," he complains again.

"Don't be such a baby, come on we'll miss the train now!" she whines.

He gives her a look "It's only nine thirty, don't be so hasty."

"We still have textbooks and potions supplies to buy, you jerk!"

"Language," comes the warning from both mother and son.

"Sorry, Aunt Cissy, but you'll be okay with me saying that he's making a fuss out of nothing." she says matter-of-factly.

"As much as I hate to use bad language, you are being a kind of a jerk, Draco." she says calmly.

He shrugs "Fine, these are fine, then," he says in surrender.

"Thank God it's over!" Victoria says, exasperated on her way out.

"Never forget that it took you nearly an hour to choose your wand," he says following her.

"It was a wand and I never regret to have taken so much time, it's like a third hand!" she says examining it for the umpteenth time.

"Sure, sure," he mumbles shoving his hands in his trousers' pockets.

"Whatever," she says putting the wand back inside the inner pocket of her brown leather jacket.

The rest of school supply shopping is spent without further events, the three Malfoys arrive at the platform at around ten thirty. Many of their former classmates were missing. Some didn't want to return to Hogwarts without Dumbledore but others died tragically as martyrs in the war. The latter thought makes Draco feel ashamed of himself, but also helpless. His best friends for seven years, Crabbe and Goyle, are now dead. There is still Blaise, of course, but no one can replace Crabbe and Goyle. He hugs his mother tight, as does Victoria, once they're about to embark.

Narcissa caresses Vicky's cheek "Be safe, my children."

"I promise, Aunt Cissy," says Victoria softly.

She puts a hand on her son's left shoulder "I'm going to miss you two so much."

"We'll miss you even more, mother," he says before kissing the top of her head "try and visit Aunt 'Dromeda, please… She's in as much grief as you are, if not more"

She holds back tears but nods fast "Alright, I'll… I'll try, I promise."

"I love you," he says.

"I love you too, I love you both," she says.

"I love you, Aunt Cissy. And for once, he's right," says Victoria teasingly, trying to ease up tension and hold back her own tears.

She giggles letting a tear roll down her cheekbone and fall directly on the floor "Go now, you don't want to be late," she says.

Draco hold out an arm for Victoria "It's now or never, if you want to back out," he says challengingly.

She grabs the crease of his elbow determinedly "You wish," she retorts.

They hop into the train, Draco leading the way, looking for a completely empty compartment. Having found none, Vicky makes him sit in a compartment where one person is sleeping.

"Don't be such a diva," she hisses "that's my job, remember?"

A grey cat hisses at the both of them waking up the sleeping person who is none other than Allison, she frowns at her pet and looks up. A heavy sigh escapes her.

"You've got to be kidding me," she mumbles sleepily.

"I'm as happy as you are about it," says Draco.

"I didn't know you had a cat," Vicky says as Ally sits up.

"I do," she says simply "my p— I've had her since first year; she was a tiny kitten then."

Victoria sits next to her as Draco looks out the window "Can I pet her?"

"Of course," says Ally tapping the seat between her fellow Slytherin and herself "hop up, Shyvana."

The cat gracefully jumps on the seat and sits "She's very well trained," says Victoria impressed.

"She never leaves me," she says "and I often speak to her, to make her remember my voice."

"I think I'm going to adopt a cat, too," she says.

"Best thing I've ever done, trust me," she says petting the purring cat.

A head pokes in "Oh hello, I thought this wasn't occupied."

"Harry?" says Ally.

He turns to her "Oh hi Ally, you alright?"

"Could've been better, yourself?" she says.

"Same here," he says kissing his teeth.

"Are you as eager to get a Hogwarts diploma as we are or..?" she asks.

"I've actually been asked to host the Triwizard Tournament," he announces making all three mouths gape.

"Have you?" asks Victoria making him glance at her.

"Madame Maxime and Professor Karkaroff suggested that the Tournament be hosted in Hogwarts, once again, and even went further into insisting with Professor McGonagall that I presided the ceremony as did Dumbledore… I think they're kind of pushing it, though" he says modestly.

"Don't be so modest, I think it's a sort of a tribute to Dumbledore," says Allison "he must have presided the ceremony dozens of times before and you're the one who avenged him, after all, aren't you?"

"Still overdone, in my opinion," he shrugs "well, I'll leave you to it." he nods at the three "Ally, Draco, Victoria, I'll see you at Hogwarts."

Draco nods back at him and goes back to staring out the window thoughtfully "See you then," says Victoria.

"Try and become Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," says Ally teasingly.

"No, remember what happened with Dumbledore's Army?" he asks.

"That was a circumstantial blunder, Potter," she says "and it's thanks to you that I know that my Patronus is a Pegasus and not just a horse."

He nods "One of the most impressive I have ever seen"

"I could say the same about your teaching skills," says Victoria, she and Ally used to be the only Slytherin members of DA.

He blushes the slightest bit and nods "See you then"

"You too?" asks Draco once Harry is out of hearing range.

"I don't know what you mean," says Victoria curtly "so what does your cat eat?"

"Whatever I eat," says Ally.

"That's a bit odd, isn't it?" says Victoria ignoring Draco's gaze.

"Well it becomes a habit, really," she says still petting the now sleeping feline.

The girls keep on conversing for hours, much to Draco's annoyance, and find that they have many things in common. They both intend on trying to be part of the Quidditch team: Victoria out of passion and Allison for extra credit. And they have both read Wuthering Heights, yet their opinions on it differ greatly for it has bored Allison to no end.

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><p><span><strong>Edit:<strong>**Thanks to my Beta, TwilightMoonbeams. Also to those who read, follow and favourite without me knowing they exist! *wink***


	5. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five:**

**A/N: I only recently discovered that Karkaroff was Dementor Kissed so let's just make him alive because I'm far too lazy to find a Bulgarian name, for a wizard no less. It took me enough thinking to come up with Durmstrang's champion… Anyhow, enjoy, R&R please T.T**

The train arrives at its destination at nightfall, as usual, yet there aren't as many first years as there used to be. It won't matter so much when the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students arrive. Allison, who is really starting to enjoy Victoria's company, decides to stick with the Malfoys at least until the feast. At the chariot, they meet Luna again in Neville's company, talking fondly about the upcoming Triwizard Tournament and Harry's hosting the ceremony.

"Hello, Neville," says Allison, Victoria stays silent: she's not keen on many people.

"Oh hi, Ally," he says cheerfully "are you alright?"

"Good, good, yourself?" she says hopping into the chariot.

"Never better," he responds with a huge grin "hi, Draco. Doing well?"

"Erm yeah, thanks," he says avoiding his gaze.

"Hello again, Ally," says Luna "are you excited about the Triwizard Tournament?"

"Overly!" she squeals "I even think I'm going to put in my name—"

Draco speaks up loudly "Have you gone mad?!"

Every pair of eyes turns to him and all wait for Allison's response, which is a calm "Not the slightest bit, why?"

"People die in this thing," he says defensively "you wouldn't be stupid enough to risk your life for something as common as fame and glory?"

"Says Draco Malfoy," she adds sternly.

"Whatever," he says hopping off of the chariot once it's stopped.

"What's onto him?" asks Allison when she and Victoria are out of hearing range.

The blonde shrugs "He didn't have breakfast; I guess he's just hungry…"

Ally's brow furrows "He's acting weird, he's not usually so… Worrisome…"

"You can still ask him, when you're alone," Victoria suggests casually.

"That's never happening," says Ally sharply.

"Never say never," says she slyly before winking and walking into the Great Hall.

Allison looks at the once familiar room. It no longer imparts the same warm feeling she got when walking into Hogwarts's Great Hall. The ceiling, for instance, isn't a show of the sky outside. It used to be bewitched by Dumbledore, and then taken from there by Snape in the one year that he was headmaster before bowing down. A thought crosses Allison's mind at once: _Who is this year's headmaster? Can it be Professor McGonagall? Or Dumbledore's brother, Aberforth? Does he know anything about his deceased brother's work?_

She decides to just wait and see, and mostly to sit down next to the Malfoys, having no other Slytherin friends. She easily finds the lightest haired students at the table on the left and sits next to the girl whose hair is let loose down her back and on her right shoulder to show off her house's blazonry. Allison looks over to the Gryffindor table at the Hall's other end where most of her friends are, and sees Ron and Hermione talking, Seamus and Dean calling Neville over to join them. She sighs, _if only there were as many nice people in Slytherin,_ she thinks. Victoria is suddenly silent and is watching the teachers' table very attentively; Ally follows her gaze and sees that Harry has only just joined the other professors. _Maybe he really is going to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, after all,_ she thinks.

Her gaze goes back to her friend but Vicky is talking rather coldly to a Slytherin who always grates on her nerves, ultimately deciding to just brush her off. To her left is Allison, whom she is very surprised to have found pleasant**.** She's even more surprised by the thought of Allison putting her name in the Goblet of Fire. Draco sits to her right and she wonders why he had such an extreme reaction to Allison's announcement. She is just about to talk to him about it when Professor McGonagall approaches the center-spot of the stage and requests silence.

"Good evening," she says "as many of you know, we lack a headmaster for Hogwarts. The general consensus, after many weeks of deliberation, is that every house head be in charge of the school, the reason being that no sole teacher is able tohandle such a great responsibility." the students applause and cheer for about a minute before she resumes her speech "I know that we usually start the year with the Sorting Ceremony but this year, Hogwarts is hosting the Triwizard Tournament for the second time in a row. And the official host, as Madame Maxime who is Beauxbatons' headmistress and Igor Karkaroff who is Durmstrang's headmaster demanded, is the very well known Harry Potter."The applause, this time, is mostly centered at the right of the Great Hall.

As if on cue, the doors of the Hall open to let in gracefully dancing French students followed by the ten feet tall brunette who is their headmistress. The three first years' students are impressed by the show while the four last years' students enjoy the show for the second time… Everyone in the Hall but two blond cousins, who stare uninterestedly in the same direction as everybody else, thoughts racing; are intent on listening while McGonagall presents the French school briefly. The girls sit at the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables.

Not long after, the Durmstrang students and headmaster make their rather fiery entrance and take place with the Ravenclaws and Slytherins. A few last years sit next to and in front of Ally and Vicky making the former's mouth gape and the latter groan in frustration, _just what was needed!_ is Victoria's sarcastic thought. Once everyone is settled, two covered items are brought to the improvised stage and Harry takes McGonagall's place.

"Good evening, everyone," he says with an outstanding professionalism "the Triwizard Tournament has been a custom for centuries already; its winner will have fame and glory for the remainder of his or her life. It is a total of three tasks whose outcome will define the victor, but beware for the tasks are no simple test of magical skills: they are dangerous, they will work on your worst fears and many have died in this quest for fame—"

"Don't say I didn't warn you, Lively," mutters Draco under his breath, too low for more than Victoria to hear him.

"—the names will then be picked from the Goblet by myself a total of two weeks after its installment, which will be tomorrow. And after deliberations, Madame Maxime, Professor Karkaroff, the Hogwarts headmasters and myself have agreed that the age limit of contestants be of sixteen—"

He is cut off by loud howls of "Unfair!" or "Not again!" or even "It can't be worse than Death Eaters, who are you kidding?!" the latter courtesy of an angry Ravenclaw fifth year.

Harry let all the protest be expressed before resuming his speech "The reason of this age restriction is that the Tournament is more dangerous than any of you could ever dream for it to be. It is, therefore, more judicious to reap the champions from experienced witches and wizards. Thank you for your attention and comprehension; you may enjoy the feast now."

He walks back to his seat next to Professor McGonagall who stands back in front of everyone and introduces a new professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts who is none other than Fred Weasley, he walks into the Hall earning cheers and pats on the back from every house's students old enough to know him and Allison who doesn't hesitate a second to walk over to him and hug him like the brother she's never had, for she considers him as such. Once the Sorting Ceremony and the feast are over, the Beauxbatons students will be sharing Hogwarts's girls' dormitories and the same goes for the Durmstrang students. Allison leaves the Malfoys to have a bit of small talk with Hermione, Ron or even Fred who has demanded to sleep in the Gryffindor dormitory for old times' sake.

Meanwhile, Victoria sticks to Draco who has been earning glares ever since they got inside the castle. She knows that everyone secretly despises him for her uncle's actions and what Draco has been obliged to do for the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord himself. At some point, they walk into Blaise, but even he is acting odd toward Draco and a glare from Victoria makes him flee their company as the blonde sympathetically tightens her grip on her cousin's elbow crease. She looks up at him as he glares into space, his expression overly mysterious. She frowns but decides to let him sleep on it before asking her questions, she knows not to overwhelm him with questions. He says the password to the Slytherin common room entry, as he is still considered aprefect, and gets inside still holding his cousin's hand tightly to his chest.

"Can I ask you something?" she asks nonetheless.

He gives her a tired look "Can it wait until tomorrow?"

She gives it a thought as other Slytherins squeeze past her "I guess most of it can," she mutters.

He smirks feebly "Most?" he repeats.

"I actually have a scheme of questions for you, but one of them can't wait until tomorrow. Can I?" she asks giving him a rare toothy grin.

He chuckles "Of course"

She clears her throat "Are you okay?"

His slight grin disappears for confusion to settle "Of course I am, why would you ask?"

"I have eyes, Draco. I see how everyone is looking at you," she says putting a hand over his arm.

He eyes her hand curiously, she almost never makes physical contact "And may I know how they're looking at me?"

She notices his glance and takes away her hand before muttering almost silently "They're looking at you like you're the Dark Lord…"

To her greatest surprise, he snorts "That's it? The contrary would have surprised me greatly, Vicky. I've been preparing for this the entire summer, it doesn't bother me the tiniest bit, I swear," he says putting both hands on her slumped shoulders, a peaceful smile on his face "will you stop worrying so much, now?"

She shrugs his hands off of her and straightens her composure before draining her face of every emotion "Who said I was worrying? I'm just curious, don't overestimate yourself," she says walking away from him toward the girls' dormitory.

He smiles and mutters "So very true, Miss Malfoy," before going to the boys' dormitory himself.


	6. Chapter Six

**Short chapter, this time. Sort of a filler, in some way. Enjoy! #SlytherinPride**

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><p><strong>Chapter Six:<strong>

The next day, everybody is frantic at breakfast, only talking about the Tournament and who they think is going to put in their name or who is going to be chosen. Allison has spent most of the previous evening at the Gryffindor common room, talking about her summer to Harry, Ron, Neville, Fred, Luna and Hermione who were the only ones up until late. Harry accompanied her to the Slytherin common room and two turns from their destination he grabbed her elbow.

"By the way," he said "I didn't know you were friends with the Malfoys—"

She cut him off "One Malfoy, please," she said "Draco is still a pain, but Victoria is sort of kind when you know her better, which you should."

"Should I?" he asked, intrigued.

"Yeah, why not?" she said "So I'm here, thanks for accompanying me."

"Of course," he said "plus, you're not allowed to be walking the corridors at such a time without a prefect."

"Oh yeah, I should've asked Draco," she said sarcastically.

He chuckled "You should try to get to know him, you know?"

She frowned "Should I?"

"I'm sure he isn't what you think he is," he said sympathetically.

"And what do you think that I think he is?" she asked.

It took him two seconds to process her statement "Well try to find out, I'm sure that he's changed since first year," he said.

"What makes you say that?"

"I've only just learned to get to know people before having a given idea about who they are," he said.

"You make no sense," she giggled.

"Look who's talking?" he said teasingly "Alright so this is goodnight, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you," she said before penetrating the somberly lit common room.

_You should try to get to know him, you know?_ Allison huffs at the thought while spreading butter over a toast, her cat sleeping next to her right hip. She's just about to put the toast inside her mouth when someone taps on her left shoulder, stopping her in mid-chunk to her great frustration. She takes the toast out of her mouth and turns to see a Durmstrang student smiling down at her.

"Good morning," he says with a heavy Bulgarian accent "is this place busy?"

"It is now," coldly says a newly familiar feminine voice.

"Morning, Victoria," says Allison before finally having the first mouthful of breakfast.

The blonde grunts in response "Just hand me some of that," she says snatching the bit toast from Ally as she was preparing to bite in it again.

Allison's mouth is gaping with her hand still placed as if she is holding an invisible toast; she now learns that Victoria isn't a morning person. Not before breakfast, that is, for she starts talking after a few mouthfuls of toast and coffee.

"What's in our schedule?" she asks.

Allison hands the schedule over to Vicky "Defense Against the Dark Arts with Weasley and the Gryffindors… Well that's weird to say," she adds as a personal side note.

"Yeah, weird," she says uninterestedly as her eyes skim through the week's schedule "we have Herbology after that, then a free period and Transfiguration…"

Allison notices her silence and looks up "Something wrong?"

Victoria looks at the brown blonde haired girl "Nothing," she says simply before looking up at someone behind Ally "morning, Draco."

Allison automatically and involuntarily turns to him, blushing some "Morning"

Draco's eyebrows connect for the shortest second "Good morning," he says hesitantly.

Allison looks at her watch while draining her orange juice glass "I'll be going now, I want to talk to our _beloved_ teacher before class starts"

"Okay," says Victoria while Draco takes a seat next to her.

They watch Allison pick up her still sleeping cat like a baby and leave, forgetting to take her schedule, and silently agree to give it to her once in class. Victoria looks at him and notices that he isn't wearing his cloak, only a sleeveless black sweater over a white long-sleeved shirt and a Slytherin tie loosely worn. She puts his cup of coffee back on the table making it clatter and fixes his tie.

"I'd like it if you tell me before depriving me from breakfast for this," he says rather annoyed.

"You are not going to go about this castle looking like a homeless Muggle," she says attacking his hair "by the way, I still have questions for you."

"Can you wait until I have some coffee in my system?" he asks, politely taking her hands off of him.

"Sure," she says returning to her — or rather Allison's former— toast.

They eat and drink silently for the most part, he then grabs a muffin and starts spreading fig jam on its surface, he's nearly done when Victoria snatches it from him as well and, before he can protest, puts a plump yellow apple in front of him. He gives her a disdainful look.

"What?" she objects "You wouldn't want to get fat, now would you?"

"Would you?" he asks challengingly still eyeing his muffin.

She merely shrugs before taking a generous mouthful, chewing patiently and swallowing "It's like you live on another planet, sometimes," she says "you haven't noticed that no matter how I eat this is how I will always look."

"No I haven't, you spend so much time buying new clothes that I start to believe that you have weight problems," he says smugly earning a punch in the ribs, which makes him wince.

"How's that for weight problems?" she says emotionlessly.

"What's our first lecture?" he asks before biting into his apple.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts," she says "this should be interesting…"

"Oh yeah," he says sarcastically.

"Come on, now. You don't want to be late for your first lecture, I understand you're so fond of studies and such," she says.

"You do like Quidditch," he says with a hopeful grin.

"You'd better put me in the team, captain," she says standing up.

"You'd better earn your place," he says following her.

They then walk side by side toward their class when a Beauxbatons student violently bumps into Victoria who topples a bit before steadying herself.

"Look where you're heading, will you?" she says rather loudly.

"Désolée— Je veux dire, sorry, I'm sorry," she says with a strong French accent.

"This is your warning, snail-eater, nobody does this to me," she says with fierce coldness.

"O-Okay," the girl says before walking away.

"Not even rusty," says Draco, impressed.

"What'd you think?" she says lifting her left brow at him.

He chuckles and they continue walking toward the classroom which is oddly silent. Draco pushes the door and a loud roaring hits the both of them on the face.

"Using the Muffiato Charm to hide his being a pitiful teacher is even more pitiful," says Vicky.

"It's just going to be two hours, at most," says Draco as they stand at the entry of the class.

"I think he's going to be a lot worse than Lockhart," she complains.

"You only think?" Draco asks sarcastically "Come on, let's find seats."

"Uh, not to be rude, yet it'd be completely on-topic, but I'd rather sit alone," she says.

"Sure," he says with a frown.

He walks over to his usual seat which used to be next to Crabbe, it is now completely empty of both warmth and life. He takes the seat against the left wall and waits for the teacher to come in. After a few more minutes, both Fred and Allison exit the teacher's office with the trace of laughter still readable on their faces.

"Alright everyone, you're going to need to settle down for this course," he says descending the stairs with Ally on his heels "many of you know my name but the newcomers and foreigners might need to know that my name is Fred Weasley."

He goes on about what this year's program will be while Allison is looking for a seat. The effort is fruitless as every seat is taken in a matter of seconds, every seat but one. She grudgingly puts her books down next to Draco's and sits, looking away.

"So," says Fred "how many of you know what a Stunning Spell is?" most Hogwarts' students' hands fly up and some of the foreigners' as well "Fine, what is the most commonly used one?"

Hermione's hand flies upward and he nods at her "The most commonly used is Stupefy"

"Right, right!" he says cheerfully "Another one?"

Many hands fly upward but he interrogates Allison who wasn't listening to him "Huh?" she says, taken off-guard.

"A Stunning Spell other than Stupefy?" says Fred indulgently.

She frowns but doesn't seem to remember anything that she knows so Draco whispers "Petrificus Totalus"

"Petrificus Totalus?" she says hesitantly.

Fred looks at her suspiciously "Yes, it is one of them…" he says slowly "Fine now, can someone tell me when they are used?"

The questioning goes on while Allison writes something on a piece of parchment paper and hands it to Draco.

"Why?" she writes.

He frowns and writes back "Why what?"

"Why did you help me?"

"Because you helped me, one day, remember?"

She is about to respond but Fred cuts her off "I'm sorry, are we bothering you?" he asks.

She blushes "Sorry, Professor"

"That's fine, but please follow the lecture, you two can exchange love notes later," he says making the whole classroom explode with laughter.

Allison's cheeks flush bright pink, making a smile play on the edges of Draco's lips. The rest of the lecture goes on cheerfully as Fred is a cool teacher and knows half the Hogwarts students. When the lesson ends, everyone starts packing and each house goes to their next lecture. For the Slytherins, it's Herbology with the seventh year Ravenclaws. As soon as they reach the Herbology labs, Draco puts a hand on Allison's elbow.

She looks at him "What is it?"

"Can I ask something from you?" he says.

"It depends on your request," she says folding her arms over her chest.

He sighs "Forget it, then," and he pushes past her rather carelessly to the lab.

"Well that's the Draco Malfoy we all know and love," she says under her breath as she gets in herself.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven:**

Days pass and the Goblet of Fire is officially released in one exceptionally emptied classroom, in which there are only benches for onlookers. Allison and Victoria are present almost every day to see who have the guts to put in their names, and who are the foolish youngsters to try and walk past the age line drawn by Hogwarts' house heads and Durmstrang and Beauxbatons headmasters. Allison is watching avidly who are the foreigners who put in their name and is making bets with Victoria who is sitting ladylike with a Potions textbook.

"Do you think that guy over there will put in his name?" demands Allison excitedly.

Victoria nods absently "Yes, they all will…"

"Do you think Neville will put in his name?"

"Yes," says Victoria without looking up.

"Seamus?"

"Yes"

"Blaise?"

"Yes"

"Draco?"

"Yes— Wait, what?!" she blinks several times shutting her book violently making everyone glance briefly at her, one glare suffices to make them look away.

Allison blinks twice before clearing her throat "Is Draco going to put in his name?"

"N-No… No, he's not…" she says opening her book again.

"Why?" Allison asks.

Victoria clenches her jaw before responding "He promised Aunt Cissy that he —or I for instance— would never put in our names so I guess it answers your question about me," she says through gritted teeth.

Allison notices that asking for the reason has been a wrong move so she decides to try and fix what she can "I'm… Sorry for asking, I didn't know it was such a… Tough topic…"

Victoria looks blankly at the parchment paper before saying "No harm done, just don't mention it again"

"Okay," Ally says quickly so as to drop the topic once and for all.

She stands up clumsily and makes her way out of the Goblet room, she accidentally bumps into someone and, looking up, she sees that it's the same black-on-black suit that she has bumped into two months ago…

"We keep on bumping into each other," he says "don't make a habit of it, Mudblood."

"I must say that I almost missed this part of you, Draco," she says with an overly sweet tone.

He grunts and shoves his hands in his trousers' pockets "Shove off"

"Pleasure," she says bumping against his arm purposefully once more before walking away.

Days pass, Draco is back to his good old habits —with Allison, that is—because as far as she knows, he doesn't hang out with many people aside from Victoria and the occasional teasing toward Allison. The latter has given up the thought of putting in her name, which Draco reminds her of one day at lunch.

"Hey, Lively," he calls as he's sitting right in front of her.

"Yes, Malfoy?" she says with fake politeness.

"Put in your name yet?" he asks casually.

"Oh yeah, many times, even," she says faking eagerness.

"You're mad," he hisses for the umpteenth time "people die in this thing!"

"Why do you care so much?" she imitates his tone so as not to raise any doubt among Slytherins.

"I don't care I'm just warning your silly fuzzy tail is all," he hisses back and stands up leaving the Great Hall.

"Speaking of which, I should be going as well," she mutters to herself as she hurries to the Transfiguration lecture.

Allison has chosen Transfiguration as an option so as to improve her abilities in the subject as a school chore as well as getting to turn into an animal. The choice of the beast is not hers, though, for the animal she is going to turn into reflects her personality. She thinks it's going to be a horse or a Pegasus as her Patronus is but Professor McGonagall has said that it depended for her own Patronus is an eagle and she Transfigures into a cat. The lectures with Professor Weasley are surprisingly serious, once the oddness of his being a teacher is put aside. And then there is the Triwizard frenzy, going about nearly every student living in Hogwarts. Everyone is making friends with everyone, learning from one another's culture and even learning one another's mother tongue.

In mid-September, the Goblet of Fire is brought to the Great Hall after dinner and Harry stands in front of the simmering blue flame. He explains yet again what the Tournament is about, making point of its danger and how irreversible the name reaping is for every witch and wizard. Professor McGonagall then taps the tip of her wand with the border of the Goblet and the flame curls back on itself before releasing a frilly blue piece of paper.

Harry squints at it before saying "Claire Richmond is Beauxbatons' champion!"

Cheers come from every Beauxbatons student, which in fact sounds more like a fit of giggles and gasps when the auburn haired sixth year goes to shake Harry's hand and go to the trophies room as the black haired wizard had done four years earlier. The flame curls back on itself yet again and a student, Sven Karakul, is chosen and the Durmstrang students all cheer which, this time, sounds more like rugby players celebrating their victory. He strongly shakes hands with Harry before joining Claire in the trophies room, grinning. Harry then approaches the flame, and watches as it curls back on itself yet again, but this time it looks troubled, torn between the many choices offered to it. Harry briefly glances at McGonagall who nods curtly at him as if to tell that it is normal, he then looks back at the flame which releases a piece of yellow-ish old parchment paper which Harry catches in mid-air and, once his eyes on it, he freezes into place. He knows the name. He has known it for years now. He can't believe it. He feels the need to say it aloud in order to believe it.

"Allison Lively…" he mutters.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight:**

**Hey there! New chapter for my birthday lol **

**N/B: I arranged the house heads to my liking because I couldn't find who had which house, save for Gryffindor and Slytherin… Enjoy! And show your interest – if there's any – 'kay bye!**

* * *

><p>"Potter, what is it?" asks McGonagall who hasn't heard him clearly.<p>

He clears his throat "Hogwarts's champion," he says shakily "Allison Lively."

The name bearer freezes, ignores the cheers of the Slytherins, ignores Draco's and Victoria's glares even further and, her cheeks flushed bright pink, makes her way toward Harry. She absentmindedly shakes his hand as he gives her the slip of paper that has now changed her life. She walks into the trophies room and sits down, eyes still wide, mouth slightly gaping as the headmasters come to congratulate their students… Harry, McGonagall, Professor Flitwick who is Ravenclaw's house head, Professor Binns who is Hufflepuff's house head and Professor Slughorn who is Slytherin's house head walk over to the seemingly shaken up Allison.

"Ally," says Harry softly "Ally, I thought you weren't going to put in your name, why have you?"

She glances at him, tears threatening to spill "I didn't," she says gravely "I didn't put in my name, Harry. It's not my handwriting, look…"

He frowns at the slip of paper, effectively, it does not resemble the many notes that he has exchanged with the student in the past.

"Someone has set you up, just like Barty Crouch Jr. had done for me," he says apologetically "but the rules are clear… You have to participate"

She nods stiffly and walks away, feeling her teachers' hands pat her back sympathetically. Oh, how she wishes she didn't have to walk past the Great Hall again to be able to leave. She walks along the wall closest to the Slytherin table, nearly running out of the overcrowded room for shelter. She has just walked through the threshold when a strong hand grips at her arm, she fights the urge to cry before turning to who she is sure to be Draco.

"Why did you put your name in there?!" he shouts, the sound of his voice muffled by the chatter going on in the Hall.

"I didn't! I swear I didn't, it— someone must've put my name in there, I didn't I never wanted to!" she shouts, tears now running down her cheeks.

He stares at her incredulously "You can survive it," he says, his voice uncharacteristically soft.

"Oh really?" she asks sarcastically wiping some tears off of her cheeks.

"I can help," he says putting his hands on her shoulders.

"How?" she asks.

"Just look at it like finals," he says still holding her.

"Deadly finals," she corrects him.

"You've survived worse already, sparing more lives than your own," he murmurs softly.

"That was against people; imagine that I have to— to battle a dragon, or worse!"

"There's worse?" he asks muffling a snort.

She gives him a look "By the way," she says "you tell anyone that you saw me crying and I kill you."

Just then, a panting Victoria joins them "Don't worry; I've got everything under control. Parkinson and Zabini are going to look for information about your opponents and they should have their weaknesses, worst fears and strongest desires. You're certain to win and most of all, survive." she says without pausing once for breath.

Draco grins "See what I'm talking about?"

Allison can't help but smile "Guys… I-I uh… I don't know what to say," she stutters.

"Just—" Victoria begins but she's cut off.

Pansy Parkinson sees the scene and holds back "What is it?" asks Draco.

"I have something to ask Victoria," she says.

"What?"

"How do I… Uh you know the thing that—" she stammers, obviously not at ease.

"I'll be right back," says Victoria as she and Pansy go back inside the Hall.

"We've got your back," says Draco as Ally starts biting her nails.

"But how can it help, the tasks are something of a personal achievement. Even if I know their worst everything it won't help me survive, let alone win and—"

She is cut off by his unexpected hug. He is a foot taller than her so her face is buried in his chest. Allison can't focus on anything at that moment; her thoughts are a messy patchwork: _He's hugging me— his arms are so long— he smells like peppermint and firewood— his suit is soft— his heartbeat is steady— I can feel his nose on the top of my head— he is breathing into my hair— when did I last wash it? What does it smell? His arms are tighter around me— I like it… I like him…_ The last thought makes her eyes snap open, making her notice the Slytherin pin on his black tie. He pulls away slowly and his hands go from her back to her face, his blue eyes are piercing through her light grey ones, she is afraid to even blink, for he might disappear. His lips part and close again, as if he was about to say something. His eyes start trailing from her own to her lips, her eyes follow his lead and she sees his nude lips.

He snaps back into reality and takes his hands off of her face.

"Thank you," she says, making him frown with wonder.

"D-Don't mention it," he says before walking away.

Victoria comes back at that moment "Where's he gone?" she asks.

"I don't know, he just… left," she says, her mind miles away.

Vicky eyes her warily "Did something happen?"

"Huh?"

She's taken aback, what should she say? Then his last words come back to her: _Don't mention it…_

"Well, he just said that uh… You've got my back and that I shouldn't worry," she lies pitifully.

Victoria spots the lie but decides to let it go "Okay," she says coolly "I'll go find him, go take a bath or do something to relax. It'll be alright."

"Uh okay," says Ally hesitantly.

Victoria makes her way to the Slytherin common room, where she knows to find Draco. And there he is, near the fire, looking thoughtful.

"You are one despicable human being," she says openly as she knows that they are alone.

He looks up at her "You think so too?"

"Too?" she repeats.

"I currently hate myself for what I just did so I guess that makes two of us," he says.

She frowns "What did you even do to the poor girl?"

"She didn't tell you?" he asks incredulously.

"She didn't need to, she tried to cover up for you, which is unfair if you ask me," she says sitting in the armchair in front of him.

"I hugged her," he mutters under his breath.

"You did what?" she asks as she hasn't heard him right.

"I hugged her," he says more eloquently "and I almost kissed her…" he adds dropping his head again.

She blinks several times "And _this_ is what's making you hate yourself?"

He looks back at her, his eyebrows raised "Well yes!" he seethes.

"Why?" she says using his tone as some Slytherins were entering the common room.

"Because she's just gotten enrolled in the Tournament and whatever it is I'm feeling toward her—"

"Wait, wait," she whispers urgently "did you just say that you have feelings for her?"

He looks deep into his cousin's eyes, swallows and says "I don't even know what I'm doing these days, what I'm thinking what I'm… It's complicated, it's like I'm stuck in a maze of everything in life, I just don't want her to get tangled along with it when she needs to stay focused on the Tournament…"

"Then you have to make a decision," she says firmly.

"What more can I do without fu— I mean messing up…" he sighs and sweeps his face with his hands.

She purses her lips at the almost cussing and says "You either help her the best way you can or you stay out of her life for the time that the Tournament is going to last. No in-between."

He nods after half a minute of giving it a thought "You're right I should make up my mind about her… Next week."

"No, no, no," she says keeping him from standing up "I want your decision in twenty-four hours, tops. The first task is in three weeks."

He groans and stomps his way out "Fine then, a day!"


	9. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine:**

The brown blonde haired, light grey eyed witch has a problem— problems, in fact. One: Her name has been chosen by the Goblet without her putting it in. Two: Her seven-year-long enemy has shown her a great deal of affection upon seeing her cry for the very first time. Three: She has realized that she likes him. But how much of liking is there for him? Is it the friendship liking? Or something more complicated? More troublesome? She sighs as she pets her cat, lying on her belly, in bed. Shyvana moves over and Allison takes it as a hint to move as well. But where to? Walking around the corridors after curfew is forbidden to students who aren't prefects or aren't accompanied by them. She decides to go to the common room nonetheless, sleep being out of her reach anyway. She descends the stairs quietly and, once in the common room, she hears someone else breathing slowly and stops in her tracks.

"W-Who is this?" she whispers hesitantly.

"Who is _this_?" a familiar male voice asks.

"Draco?" she asks in disbelief.

Suddenly, a memory of six years earlier invades her mind like a flood of water…

They were in second year, and a deadly monstrous creature was roaming around the castle at all possible times, attacking Muggle-Borns, petrifying them… Professor Snape had informed the Slytherins quite nonchalantly about the early curfew, stomping his way out of the common room as he usually did, leaving about seventy uncaring students and a quite worried one. She'd followed the curfew and indications of their special situation scrupulously ever since Snape told them the security measures. A night when she couldn't find sleep, she decided that reading next to the fireplace would be a good idea. Little did she know that another second year had had the very same idea.

"Who's this?" he asked.

"Lively," she said in a restless voice "who is this?"

"Go back to bed," the male voice ordered roughly.

She decided to stay, against better judgment and said "Should've known that it was you…"

Malfoy scoffed "And how, should I ask?"

She sat on the armchair opposite to him and said "You've been just as restless as I have, these past few days."

The fire-illuminated part of his face scrunched up before he spat "What makes you say such a thing?"

"You have purple creases under your eyes and you won't stop yawning in class which, I admit, is quite contagious. You might even be the reason of my restlessness. The reason for you to be like so, however, is a mystery…" she trailed off.

"Don't go making up assumptions on your own, Mudblood," he said quickly.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Go back to bed," he repeated.

"If you're not scared for yourself—"

"Shut up," he said, frustrated.

"— then you might be scared for someone else," she concluded.

He scoffed "Right, I'm so scared for you and Granger, you have no sodding idea!"

She scowled at the sarcasm "Speaking of Granger how's it to always lose to her in studies? Muggle-Borns aren't so inferior, now are they?"

"Shut up, you filthy little Mudblood!" he hissed.

"Dare say that I'm wrong!" she challenged in the same venomous tone.

He stood up abruptly and stomped toward her, nearing her seat dangerously, but she didn't move a fraction of an inch "I told you bloody, filthy, sodding Mudblood to shut up!" he hissed before going to the boys' dormitory.

Eighteen year-old Allison stares into the darkness, first for her eyes to adjust, second for the memory to flee her mind.

"Al— Lively?" he stutters turning over to look at her.

"What are you doing here?" she asks quietly.

"What about you?" he asks mirroring her tone.

"Kind of restless, I think. I'd do with a walk around the castle," she says implicitly.

He stands up slowly "After you, then" he offers.

She frowns "What do you mean?"

"Are you a prefect?" he asks as implicitly as she just has.

"Oh… Alright, then," she says with a slow, timid nod.

They leave the Slytherin common room, she hugs her ribcage and he shoves his hands in his trousers' pockets as he didn't bother changing into his pajamas. They walk silently until they are on the borders of the courtyard, they sit on one bench and he notices goose bumps on her bare arms.

"Are you cold?" he asks, stating the obvious.

Her teeth clatter at the word 'cold' and she mutters "What do you think?"

He doesn't respond. Instead, he unbuttons his vest, puts it around her shoulders and rubs her arms twice in a poor attempt to warm her up. She slides her thin arms into the already-warm sleeves and goes back to her former position, trying to capture the most heat possible. Going out probably isn't the best of ideas, but she has to deal with it now that it's done. The vest smells of its owner, peppermint and firewood. She nearly inhales the newly familiar scent, but catches herself just in time.

She turns to him, sitting casually with an ankle over his knee like most grown men do, and says more steadily than before "Thank you"

"I should be the one to thank you," he says making her frown.

"Why should you?" she asks, her frown deepening.

"Stop frowning so much, Victoria would say that you would get wrinkles," he says fighting the insane urge to laugh out loud at such an hour.

The crease between her eyebrows loosens "Why, then?"

"Because when I told you not to mention it, you didn't take it figuratively and that was exactly what I meant," he says "but Victoria knows better than to trust you, well this actually applies to everyone else, in fact" he can't help the snort, this time.

"Why?" she says scowling at his own inside joke.

"You're the worst liar of Slytherin's history, you could be a Hufflepuff for it," he says, the faintest hint of a smile still visible on his features.

She fights her smile but it wins her over and she says "Can't really deny that, now can I?"

"I wouldn't believe you," he says matter-of-factly "I'm curious, though. Why would you thank me?"

She looks at him as if it is obvious but realizes that he really doesn't know "For making me feel better, earlier…"

He blinks twice before saying "Don't get any ideas there, Lively. It's just foreign for me to see you… You know…"

"Cry?" she asks "Right."

"I really meant it, though," he says "about helping you. And Vicky didn't even bother telling you. Right after you and the headmasters left, she stood up and practically ran over to Blaise and Pansy, yelling orders at them. If I hadn't been in such a state of shock, it would've made me laugh. It was so out of character."

"Figured," she says "she doesn't usually bother with such details."

"Don't take it the wrong way, but I can't figure out what she sees in you," he says "you two are so different."

"Like magnets," she says.

He shoots her a look of comprehension "That's right, like magnets…"

"What else happened before I came out of the trophies room?" she asks.

"Well, a lot of talking, actually. Then Longbottom stood up and asked if he could volunteer for you in a rather determined way before Granger told him to sit down and explained that it wasn't some Hunger-thing… Muggle stuff, I think" he says.

"The Hunger Games, it's practically the same as the Tournament except that everyone dies besides the winner and it only tests your killing skills," she explains quickly.

"Whatever it is," he says dismissively "then Cormack ran out of the Great Hall, Lovegood ran to Victoria to offer her help and you came back. I don't know if you noticed, but all of Hogwarts students stopped talking when you walked so fast past them."

She sighs heavily making her shoulders slump "How embarrassing…"

"It's a legit reaction, especially for a girl," he says.

"Anyway," she says straightening back up "how do you intend on helping me?"

"You need to practice dueling," he says.

"Oh please, the Dark Lord is dead, who would serve as a good enough training?" she says with a sarcastic smile.

He kisses his teeth "Well I can still bring along some Bogarts, if you'd like." he says with the same hint of sarcasm.

"Good idea, I'd see what you're most afraid of," she says with a toothy grin.

"Meaning that you have no fears?" he asks cocking up an eyebrow.

"No," she says "just that your fears are way bigger than mine."

"You have no idea," he mutters, yet she can't discern sarcasm from accuracy in his words.

"Seriously, though," she says "besides you, who could help me train in dueling?"

"Well you have two opponents, right?" he asks and she nods "Then it will be Vicky and me, and whoever you wish to bring along but Vicky is a lot of herself, she's worth three opponents at once."

"I know, I was rather surprised when I found Greyback over her last year. I thought it was some ploy for him to think that she was weak, but when I saw her wand on the floor I didn't think, I just lunged."

"Thank you for that too," he says ''I don't know what I would've done if something had happened to her. She's close to everything to me."

"You know, by the way," she says "some people are starting to think that you two are going to end up married, like most people of your range are used to do…"

He scoffs "I love her but she's the worst pain at times, so thanks but no thanks"

She giggles and stares at the horizon extending in front of them "It's nearly dawn," she says.

"Want to go back to sleep?" he asks.

"'Go back' isn't exactly the right phrase to put it, but no. I want to see it, I never have." she says "At Hogwarts, that is. I usually scrutinize the sky for anything. I really love how it often looks…"

He stares at her while her voice trails off "I never really took time to watch… The sky," he says.

"You really should," she says "it's priceless…"

Then it starts, the first sunrays on the petrol blue sky, adding hints of lavender as pink got into place. The few white clouds turn into a cotton candy shade of pink and the sky pinky orange, adding warmth to the biting cold. The sun goes higher and the pink shades disappear in the same rhythm, the sky turning into a green-ish shade of blue as the yellow comes into the scene. Then, finally, pink and green disappear to let the typical blue sky and white sun illuminate the Earth. He glances at her and sees a peaceful smile on her face. _Priceless,_ he thinks as she is oblivious to his gaze.

Later on, at breakfast, Victoria doesn't fail to her now-constant duty. She goes to Pansy and Blaise as soon as she penetrates the Hall, talks to them for about ten minutes, and rejoins Allison whose face shows nothing but utter sleepiness.

"I'm telling you now, if you take this toast from my hand I'll bloody hex you," she says without looking up.

_Yep, definitely sleepy,_ the blonde thinks before sitting next to Ally "Good morning to you too, why haven't I seen you in bed, this morning?"

"Depends on the time," says Allison "not that I would know either way, I couldn't find a bloody minute of sleep!" she finishes, frustrated.

Victoria blinks "You should ask for something from Mrs. Pomfrey or Professor Slughorn, if it persists."

Allison looks at her with wide eyes "Here, my toast, eat it," she says "I can make you more, if you'd like"

Vicky frowns but the rest of her face remains emotionless "Why?"

"I actually braced myself for you to Stun me when I yelled at you," she says.

A small yet sincere smile crosses her ashen face "You're frustrated about the Tournament, I don't blame you. But you'd better not make a habit of it." she adds with a half smile.

"I'm sorry," Ally says sheepishly.

"I said it was okay," she says indulging a smile.

"Good morning, ladies," a foreign male voice says.

Ally turns to see a slightly familiar looking Durmstrang student "Morning," she grumbles.

"I hear there is going to be a ball, in December," he says with a thick Northern accent.

"Yes, there is," she says warily as Victoria eats without paying any attention to them.

"Would you like to go with me?" he asks with a slight grin.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" she asks grumpily before biting into a buttered toast.

"Oh sorry," he says before extending his right hand "I'm Sven"

"Oh that's why you look so familiar," she says with a slow nod after swallowing.

"Would you, then?" he asks intently "Or do you already have a date?"

"It-It's uh, I mean," she shoots a look at Victoria, seeking help.

"I already asked her," she says coldly giving him the death glare.

His eyes nearly pop out of his head "O-Okay…" he stutters and leaves.

Allison can't help but giggle "Thank you, I didn't want to have to—"

"Speaking of which," says Victoria "this ball is shit in your head, you focus on the Tournament and I'll find you a date."

"What? Can't I even choose for myself?" she asks.

"Just forget it for now, we're still in September and October 15th is the first task. Blaise, Pansy and I are still working on your opponents…"

"Meaning that you've told them everything that they have to do and probably threatened them in case they fail, am I wrong?" asks Ally with a sly smile.

Victoria fights a smile before saying "Well, I have my ways…"

"Morning," grumbles Draco as he sits facing them.

"Morning," replies Allison simply before draining her coffee cup.

"Your tie—" starts Vicky.

"—is messy, I know," he says.

"Then fix it!" she nearly hisses.

He gives her a look "Lively, when would be the best time for your dueling?"

"Dueling?" asks Vicky.

"We've agreed that I'd— I mean we'd help her getting back to the top of her dueling skills," he explains.

Her eyes narrow "When exactly did you agree to this?"

"We met in the common room yesterday," Allison says.

"Did you?"

"I think that right now would be good, we have a free period," says Ally.

"What would be good?" asks Luna who was just walking by.

"Hey, would you like to come to Lockhart's dueling club, after breakfast?" asks she.

"What for?" she asks.

"Well, my training," says Ally as if it is obvious "part of it will be dueling, would you like to join?"

"Oh I'd love to, but unfortunately Lockhart's dueling club has not been rebuilt. But I have a rather better idea as to where we should train you," she says using her softest tone.

"And where would that be?" asks Draco.

She smiles "Our fifth year Defense Against the Dark Arts class, of course"

**I think it's pretty obvious as to where that would be, how do you reckon it'll go? I have nothing particular to say besides Slytherin Pride! And thank you for reading this fanfic, it really means a lot to me. ****God bless, xo.**


	10. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten:**

The four students make their way to the fifth floor after breakfast, Luna having had the best idea for Allison's training. Draco, of course, wouldn't know what the Ravenclaw is speaking about. Victoria and Allison, on the other hand, are anticipating his reaction. Maybe it's going to be anger, that his own cousin has befriended so many Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students while he was on their tail? Or perhaps he will be awed to see what has taught Allison and improved Victoria's skills? One cannot know. Luna is leading the way with Allison while the Malfoys trail behind.

"What exactly are you going to work on?" asks Luna.

"Pretty much everything," sighs Ally "I know nothing of what awaits me."

"That's a wise thing to do," she says "I, myself, need to work back on my fighting skills. I'm a little rusty."

"Best thing to do, then," says Allison.

Arrived in front of the wall where the Room of Requirement first opened itself to Neville Longbottom, both Luna and Allison focus on conjuring the Dumbledore's Army class. The door appears and the four students get inside, three of whose insides flutter with the strength of the memories that they share in this room. The life-sized dummies are ready to be used, benches are on either side of the wide room, mirrors are on opposite sides and broomsticks are messily scattered in one corner, the ceiling being high enough for flying lessons. Allison observes Draco from the corner of her eye, and sees that he is keeping his mouth from gaping, just as Victoria is keeping her lips from curving into a back-home smile. If Ally has to pick one moment when she has seen Victoria utterly happy, it would be in fifth year when she would penetrate this makeshift classroom for their DADA lessons with Harry.

Luna retrieves the three Slytherins from their thoughtful pause "Who would like to go first?"

Both cousins' eyes turn to Allison "Huh?" is all that comes out of her mouth.

"The choice is yours," says Victoria.

"Oh," she says "right… Luna, then."

"Which spell is my limit?" asks the peaceful girl.

"No Unforgivable Curse would be nice," says Allison, sarcasm oozing out of her voice.

"Anything else?" asks Luna.

"I think that's it, and no transfiguration on my body, too," says Allison.

The two girls grab their wands, bow at one another while the Malfoys take place on one bench, and stand a few yards away from one another.

"On three?" softly asks Luna.

"One…"

"Two…"

"Three!" finishes Ally before sending a Stunning Spell toward Luna who shields herself efficiently.

"Impedimenta!" she cries, making Ally fly across the room.

The brown blonde haired stands back up immediately "Stupefy!"

Luna's shield is a millisecond too late, for she is sent flying across the other side of the room, unconscious. With a flick of her wand, Allison wakes Luna up before helping the girl stand up.

"Are you alright?" she asks.

"I may need a few sessions with the dummies before dueling again," she says wincing "I am not enough used to this wand yet"

Allison rubs Luna's back before murmuring "That's alright, maybe we will be able to do it efficiently by next week…"

"Yeah," she says before going to have a seat next to Vicky who stands up almost immediately.

"My turn, now," she says, fighting an excited smile.

"I'd rather have Draco, first," quickly says Allison making his eyebrows rise and fall.

"Why would you?" asks Victoria.

"I do care for my life," protests Allison.

The platinum blonde gives her a look "Quit sugar coating and spill the beans."

"I would rather have an average fighter before you, because I've seen you fight and even in training you never spare your opponent for a single second," she says defensively.

"Because, in real life, you never have a second's rest," she says "as in the Tournament."

"I'm just training now, so I'd like it pretty easy," she says.

"You're the champion," she says in surrender.

Draco walks over to where Luna was standing a few minutes ago "I'll go easy on you, Lively. But only this time."

"A million thanks to you, Malfoy," she says as Victoria takes up the countdown.

"Three… Two… One!"

"Rectusempra!" is Allison's first spell.

"Protego!" says Draco before repositioning himself and saying "Serpensortia!"

Allison eyes the cobra that's ramping on the floor before giving a condescending look at its creator "Really, Malfoy?"

He smirks "Deal with it, Lively."

"I don't like killing animals," she protests.

"It's not a real one, it's just a bloody Charm!" yells Victoria for Ally to hear.

"Still looks real to me!" Allison calls back before the snake gets too close to her for comfort "Oh crap, Inscendio!"

The fire devours the snake right in front of her, turning the reptile into ashes. Draco presses his lips together.

Allison glares at him as they start to pace, facing each other "Do you know what's funny?"

He frowns "I'm not here to have a chat with you, Live—"

"Reducto!" she yells, surprising him, but he dodges "Always stay focused, Malfoy," she says never leaving his gaze.

"You don't say?" is his sarcastic response before he makes a thick black rope appear from his wand and wrap itself around Ally's ankle.

She gasps slightly before setting the thing on fire, making it tear and lose its power. She Stuns Draco, who Victoria arises just as soon for the fight to go on. Their duel is then poor in words as most of their spells are cast silently, attacks and shields are produced in some sort of harmony until Draco Petrifies Allison, who is freed by Vicky yet again.

Draco walks up to his fellow Slytherin and helps her up "Nice job, Lively. Almost good enough for you to be talented."

"Almost, huh?" she says implicitly.

"I'm sorry, but who was on the floor just one second ago?" he asks teasingly.

"Only because you were freed by Victoria earlier, Malfoy," she says.

"All I know is that I just helped you stand up," he says smugly.

"My turn," says Vicky "and cut it out, you two. Lovegood, countdown. Conjure a Patronus when you want me to stop."

Draco goes to the benches "Three… Two…"

"Expelliarmus!" says Victoria.

"What the sodding hell?!" exclaims Allison "Accio wand! Vicky, there actually _is_ a countdown in the Tournament!"

The blonde merely shrugs "Not with me, ready up now…"

"Levicorpus!"

"Protego! Stupefy!"

"Protego!"

"Inscendio!"

It goes on for about thirty minutes, silent spells being thrown back and forth and Allison mostly shielding herself.

"Expecto Patronum!" Allison says but only a feeble light emerges from her wand, she frowns at it "What the hell?"

"What's wrong?" asks Draco.

"Something is wrong with her Patronus," says Luna.

"I knew that, I was asking what would be wrong with her Patronus!" he says angrily.

Victoria only stares "Has this happened before?"

Allison is staring at her wand, shocked. She knows when it has done this for the first time, she knows very well what it means but only thinking about that part of her past is painful.

She clears her throat shakily "I— Once" she mutters, her mind fleeing the room.

"Allison, look at me," says Victoria "you need to work on your Patronus in case you're going to need it in the tasks."

"Do you know why it happened?" asks Draco.

"No," she lies "I haven't been able to conjure a Patronus since then, either."

Luna puts a warm hand on Ally's shoulder "I'd be glad to inform Harry of your issue if you think that he can help you"

Allison turns to her and smiles feebly "I'd like that, thank you Luna."

Victoria purses her lips "You also need to learn to be offensive in dueling," she says casually as she shoves Allison's wand in her hands.

The dark grey eyed Slytherin sighs with the relief of a change of subject before saying "Thank you, Vicky. We should put on a schedule and ask more people to come and train, but only Hogwarts last years…"

"On it," says Victoria as she walks out of the room, not bothering to wait for anyone.

"Where do you reckon Harry is?" Allison asks Luna, not allowing a second of silence to settle.

"No idea, if only we had another Marauders' Map," she says softly "I'll go ask Helena"

"Can I come?" she asks, wanting to escape the inevitable question at Draco's lips.

"I'm afraid not," she says apologetically "she's rather shy, in fact."

"I'll ask McGonagall," she says decisively.

"Good idea," says Luna as she, too, leaves the Room of Requirement.

Ally is about to leave as well when she feels a soft but firm grip on her arm "Wait"

She turns to see a worried-looking Draco; she blinks "Yes?"

"That's something of a big deal if you can no longer produce a Patronus," he says "do you know who can't produce a Patronus?" he asks.

She shakes her head "Voldemort?"

"Close," he says "not one Death Eater can produce a Patronus."

She frowns "What are you thinking?"

"You tell me," he says, looking intensely into her eyes "you know why you can't produce a Patronus… Tell me."

Her frown deepens "Why should I?"

It's his turn to look questioning "What do you mean?"

The former sadness turns into unjustified anger towards him as she groans "Why should I tell you the reason when all that you've done our entire lives is persecuting me and insulting me on something that I have no control over? Do you think that you just have to show some humanity toward me for me to tell you my secrets?"

"I'm trying to help you, in case you've forgotten!" he yells as his temper flies as well.

"Oh yeah, thanks a lot! Comparing me to a Death Eater is monumental help, right!" she yells as she stomps out the Room, leaving him to his thoughts…

**So, why do you think she can't produce a Patronus? How are the both of them going to react to the aftermath of this argument? What is the first task going to be? All the hypotheses in reviews, guys! ****Hope you enjoy this story so far, God bless. Xo**


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter Eleven:**

**Hello everyone, Harry Potter will be introduced in this chapter!**

**A/N: In this AU! Ginny died instead of Fred in the Battle of Hogwarts, I think most have figured this out by now but yeah, just as an official feature of the story... On you read, now. X**

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><p>That night, Draco found Victoria waiting for him in the Slytherin common room, after curfew. She turned to him, half her face illuminated by the fireplace.<p>

"Your time is up, Draco," she said solemnly "what is your decision?"

Draco gulps "I'll help her"

**_That Week-End_**

Harry Potter is currently in the dorm that he shares with his fellow Gryffindors, fastening his shirt's buttons while gazing out the window thoughtfully. He straightens up his collar and, glancing down to pick up his wand from his nightstand, he also sees the Marauders' Map which he forgot to turn off before falling asleep the night before.

He taps his wand on it and says "Mischief Managed"

He folds his Invisibility Cloak and the Map and shoves them inside Hagrid's pouch, which is still hanging around his neck with every important possession of his. He makes his way out of the dorm and into the common room where Ron and Hermione are alone, waiting for him to go to Hogsmeade. They're talking in front of the unlit fireplace, huddled together as if it were raining cats and dogs outside when it's unseasonably sunny and warm.

He chuckles in thought and says "Ready to go?"

They whip around and Hermione bears a small smile "Are you sure you want to do this, Harry?"

He looks at her curiously "Well, yeah, it's just a visit at Hogsmeade. The usual, really, except that we're going to visit Dumbledore."

"There will also be a visit to The Fallen's Graveyard…" she trails off as Ron sets his eyes downcast.

_Ginny_, Harry thinks as if he hasn't been having nightmares about his girlfriend's death ever since it happened. He wears a peaceful mask and says "Then we should bring lots of flowers, shouldn't we?"

Ron looks up at him "Yeah, we should."

Hermione's face becomes grim as she says "Are you absolutely sure that this won't be a matter to you?"

He nods "Yeah, as long as Bellatrix is no more"

Ron winces at the mention of the Dark witch before standing up "Well, shouldn't we get going?"

"That's right, we should," says Harry before giving a meaningful look at Hermione.

"Fine, then," she sighs before they make their way outside.

Far from the Gryffindor tower are the dungeons where the Slytherin common room is. The dorms are nearly empty, save for four girls: Daphne Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson, Victoria Malfoy and Allison Lively. And three boys: Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy. The boys are discussing the upcoming Quidditch tryouts whereas the girls are talking dress shopping.

"I think lilac would be a good color for the Yule ball," says Pansy.

"It's in Christmas, Parkinson, it'd make you look too pale," says Daphne.

"What will you wear, Victoria?" Pansy asks.

The blonde grumbles "Don't know, don't care. It's not like I have a date or something."

"You'll get asked sooner than later, you're the prettiest girl in our grade," says Daphne, making Pansy grimace.

"The point would not be who asks her but rather who she's going to say 'yes' to," says Allison as she applies mascara on her lower lashes.

"Exactly," fiercely says Pansy "for example, I know who is going to ask me and I'm going to say a big 'yes' to him!"

"You wouldn't be talking about Draco, Pansy, now would you?" Daphne asks teasingly, making the girl's cheeks flush bright pink.

She takes her hair tie off and starts re-doing her ponytail "He did ask me for the previous Yule, didn't he?"

Victoria listens to them silently while applying eyeliner when Daphne goes on "That doesn't mean that he's going to do it twice…"

"He could!" exclaims the brunette.

"I think that he has another girl on his mind, this year," she murmurs before saying aloud "right Ally?"

"Huh?" she says, taken off-guard.

"Come, Allison," says Victoria "we have some things to discuss, haven't we?"

The oblivious brown blonde haired nods and grabs her purse before trailing behind her blonde friend. Ally is wearing a black tank top with an open long-sleeved green flannel shirt whose hem is curled until the elbows, light blue ripped denim pants and black converse shoes. She's wearing a silver necklace with a snake charm and a similarly toned watch, her hair is up in a messy ponytail which looks ginger under the sunrays. Victoria, on the other hand, is wearing white cotton shorts and a long-sleeved silken shirt with golden loose buttons on chest-level. Her bare legs end on a white leather sandal with three-inch heels, and her hair is let loose down her back. They meet the boys in the common room, two of whom lose words at the girls' apparition.

"Do you own any piece of clothing that's not white?" asks Draco with a sly smile.

"I do own some black," she says casually, ignoring the other two.

Allison nods stiffly at Draco before saying "I'll be outside" to Vicky.

The blonde allows herself a rare scowl "Are you still unnerved with him?"

"Yes, and I doubt that it'll ever come to an end. It was stupid of me to think that he would change," she says rummaging through her purse for her sunglasses.

"You do have this dreadful habit of speaking about me as if I weren't right next to you," he says annoyingly.

"Well be glad that I am not saying anything about you behind your back," she says and notices the gaping Slytherins "what's up with you two?"

Blaise glances at her "Oh hey there, Lively. Never knew you would have the guts to put your name in the Goblet, by the way, hats off."

She frowns at him before nodding slowly "Yeah, thanks Zabini. The 'hello' to your granddad for me, alright?"

"Yeah, right," he says before walking out of the room sheepishly.

Allison's brow furrows "Did something happen before we came down here?" she asks Nott.

He smirks mischievously "We were talking about a rather fascinating topic, indeed."

She sighs, knowing where he's going with it "How much is this going to cost me, Nott?"

"Just a Sickle," he smirks, extending his hand.

She tosses the coin at him "What were you talking about?"

"We were discussing prom dates," he says, grinning.

She raises a thin brow at him "That's it?"

His eyebrows jump once before he eyes Victoria meaningfully, a sly smirk splattered across his face "Worth way more than a Sickle, but that's just because it's you, Champion…"

"How generous," says Allison emotionlessly "shall we go?"

"We shall, Ally," says Victoria as if she hadn't heard the whole conversation.

"See you later, Champion," says Theo with a friendly wave.

She half-smiles "Later, Theo"

Victoria's face does a strange thing that Allison has noticed she only does around Draco and herself. As soon as they're out of sight, her emotionless face turns into a somewhat content sigh and a peaceful smile plays at the edges of her artificially red lips.

"You know, that's kind of scary how you only have this peaceful face when you're with me or Draco," says Allison warily.

"I don't know what you mean," she says slyly.

"You do know, but alright then…" she concedes.

In the common room, the boys resume their conversation without Blaise.

"Who are _you_ taking to the ball?" Theo asks.

"Mmh," grunts Draco "what about you?"

"I'm going to wait to be asked for," he says smugly.

"You don't know yet or you just don't want to tell me?" Draco asks with a smirk.

"A bit of both, I have a few girls in mind but none of them is likely to accept…"

"Names?"

"Greengrass and Lively," he mutters almost unintelligibly.

"Which Greengrass? And why Lively?" Draco asks, trying to keep his tone casual.

"I was thinking of maybe inviting Daphne, you know?" Theo says "But word has it that she's expecting a Ravenclaw's invitation, so I'd like to spend that evening with Lively instead but I have no clue who she'd like to go with… It's kind of disconcerting…"

"Right," says Draco in emphasis.

"Who are you _really_ thinking of inviting?" Theo questions.

Draco's lips quirk up in a half-smile "Seven years have played against me, haven't they?"

"Years aside, you're the most predictable person I've ever met," says Theo "come on, spill the beans."

"Believe it or not, I was thinking the same as you, except that I'd go for Astoria instead of Daphne."

"Very much likely," comments Theo.

"What do you mean?" Draco asks.

"She kind of has a thing for you, Greengrass."

"I have not!" Daphne, who is clutching Pansy's arm, squeals from behind them.

"You're not the only Greengrass in here, Daph', just make sure this datum stays safe," tells Theo without turning back.

"Wait, so Astoria likes Draco?" Pansy asks, hardly concealing the venom in her voice.

"Or so word goes," shrugs Theo "I overheard the Patil twins in the courtyard the other day…"

"Interesting," says Pansy suspiciously.

Daphne elbows her fellow Slytherin discreetly "We'll be going now, see you guys later."

"Did you see that?" Theo asks incredulously as the two girls walk ahead through the corridor.

"See what?" Draco asks.

"As soon as she knew Astoria liked you Pansy looked like she had already planned thirty ways to murder her," Theo says in astonishment.

"So what? She's always been jealous of the Greengrass sister, it's no news. How Daphne puts up with her, though, I'll never know," Draco says nonchalantly.

"Yeah but right now, she looked really motivated to do it," presses Theo "do you understand?"

"Get to the point, Nott"

"Parkinson likes you, mate," Theo almost yells in the hardly busy staircase.

Draco lifts a blond eyebrow at him "That's it? That's the big secret?"

Theo blinks "Huh?"

Draco grins, on the verge of slight laughter "I've known this for nearly our first day here. And Pansy is mostly jealous of the Greengrass sisters because they're the only suitable girls for me in Slytherin…"

"Then why did you ask her out for the first Yule?" Theo asks eyes wide with surprise.

"Because the golden pair was already taken when I got to finding dates and I knew Pansy would dump whoever was taking her first to go with me," Draco says.

"Modesty, mate," Theo says sarcastically "you're reeking of it."

Draco chuckles "I'm just stating facts, Nott. Who did you ask for the first Yule?"

"Well, I had to work from scraps, you know?" Theo starts "I asked a Beauxbatons girl…"

"Name?"

"Something French, I mean who can remember those? I know that her last name meant Wood… As for the first name, I'm guessing it was Jane or something on the same note."

"Jade Dubois?" Draco asks.

Theo's eyes widen yet again "How is it you know everything? Are you turning into Draco Granger?"

"She was in our History of Magic class, you dork!" Draco says playfully.

Theo gives him a look "Where do you _really_ know her from?"

Draco rolls his eyes at him "Fine, her parents met mine four years ago in the Malfoy Annual Dinner at Christmas and mother has been inviting them every year since…"

"I wonder if she'll invite them, this year too," Theo considers.

"Wonder if there even _is_ going to be a Malfoy Annual Dinner…"

"I reckon she's going to keep up the tradition, though the guest list might see quite a few changes…"

"Well, then let's just hope everything goes as planned," Draco mutters before a tired sigh.

As they walk, the Golden Trio passes them inconspicuously and, oddly, they are silent. Draco then falls silent, Theo not being the overly talkative kind of person, and watches the three friends with wonder. They usually talk incessantly when walking together, they'd laugh and joke or, more accurately, they'd be plotting against the system. The blond prefect then remembers that all three of them are mourning the death of the Weasley girl, Remus and Nymphadora Tonks and Dumbledore… They're most likely going to go visit the Fallen's Graveyard, where every deceased person from the battle of Hogwarts —on the Order's side, that is— is buried. The dead Death Eaters were in a nameless graveyard, on the other side of the Fallen's. Death Eaters like the Crabbe's, the Goyle's, Parkinson's parents, Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange, Fernir Greyback and most importantly: Melania and Marcus Malfoy, Victoria's parents.

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><p><strong>I'll just end this chapter here; the next will mostly be how Victoria's parents died and an extra facet of the story!<strong>


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve:**

**A/N: Longest chapter yet, 4,000+ words. I just didn't have to break this into two chapters... Oh well, enjoy!**

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><p>"Where would you like to go?" Ally asks.<p>

"Do you mind if I take a walk on my own for today?" Vicky asks back.

Allison blinks "Not at all, are you alright?"

"Yes, fine," she prompts "just hang out with your dearest Gryffindors, I'm a grown person."

Allison smirks "Off to see a guy, I presume?"

Victoria smirks back "I hope the tasks aren't about mental abilities because you'd lose first, Lively…"

"I have enough time to find out, Malfoy," says Allison before entering The Three Broomsticks.

"Let us hope you don't, then," she mutters to herself as she starts walking towards the opposite direction.

She constantly looks over her shoulder, left and right. It would be a big problem if someone is to spot her where she is going. She stops at a great silver gate, above of which float the words 'The Fallen' in cobalt. The guardian eyes her from head to toes, smirks and walks over to her.

"'Ello pretty," he says flirtatiously "can I help ye?"

She lifts a blonde brow at him "I need to get in" she says curtly.

"Why would ye?"

"It's my business," she says coldly.

Seeing that she will not give in, he says "Name?"

"Malfoy," she answers.

"Reason?"

"What do you think?" Vicky asks, feeling her temper caress her voice.

He coughs "Who are ye visitin'?"

"Marcus and Melania Malfoy," she says, the names burning at her throat.

He materializes a list and browses for their names. He looks up at her, mouth gaping, and says "I'm goin'a need yer wand, Miss."

She frowns at him "Why?"

"It is required for that part of the graveyard, Miss. Rules."

She hands it to him grudgingly "How am I going to put flowers on the gravestone, now?"

"There's a store right there, aye. Take what'cha need, free o' charge…"

"If I find the faintest trace of a change on my wand I will bloody hex you, do you understand?" Vicky threatens venemously.

Seeing the seriousness in her voice, he gulps and says "Aye, 'course Miss, I would never!"

"I should hope so. Now tell me where their grave is."

"Go straight past the Snape's turn right and left after three graves. There ye'll find them with the Lestrange's."

She starts walking swiftly, avoiding the gaze of the Golden Trio as she passes them. She hears them discussing her presence in such a place, saying she has no reason to be there, or that she might want to visit Snape. She blocks them out, as she starts remembering the few memories related to her parents.

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><p><em><strong>Twelve Years Earlier <strong>_

_The blonde five year old witch ran toward her father's office, hoping he would comment on her drawing, but as soon as she grabbed the handle of the door her hand started stinging, making her cry and call the house elf._

_"Yes, Miss?" Responded the elf._

_"It burns, Dobby!" She cried._

_"Dobby will take Miss to the kitchen for help!" Squealed the elf._

_"Quickly, it's turning blue!"_

_The elf Apparated the both of them to the kitchen where the head house elf healed her hands using magic she wasn't aware of, at the time. She was then offered a cup of tea and scones, to compensate for the physical pain she had just experienced. She was eating fondly, making small talk with the hardworking elves, when a pale, black haired woman entered the kitchen in an eerily calm pace. Victoria's eyes widened and she dropped the half-scone on the table._

_"What is the meaning of this?" Melania hissed._

_"Mistress, Miss Malfoy hurt her hand on Master's office door. Dobby healed Miss Malfoy's hand and gave her some tea and scones. As a compensation, Mistress," Dobby shakily explained._

_"Did you, Dobby?" Melania questioned, the elf nodded "Then I hope that you will like working for Lucius Malfoy's family from now on, because that will be where you will be working from now on."_

_"Mistress, please, Master Draco mistreats Dobby every time Master Malfoy visits! Dobby is sorry, Mistress!"_

_"You should've thought about it before rewarding my daughter for that disobedience of hers," she said coldly, making Vicky shake with fear "as for you, Miss, I order you to go to your room and not put a toe out of it until tomorrow at this hour. You will have more than hurt hands if you were to disobey, understand?"_

_"Mother, I'm sorry—" she started sobbing uncontrolably, unable to finish her sentence._

_"I do not want to hear it, Victoria," her mother said in an icy cold tone._

_The five year old girl ran to her room as fast as she could, slammed her door and threw herself on her bed as she carried on crying her eyes out. Food was not sent to her until the next day's dinner, probably on Melania's orders, but Creak, another elf, had Apparated in her room in the middle of the night to put a water glass and a sandwich on her nightstand. She ate as fast as she could and gulped down the water gratefully before calling Creak back._

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><p><em><strong>Ten Years Earlier<strong>_

_Upon seeing the pair at Hogwarts, one would think that Draco and Victoria Malfoy had always been close. Yet, in reality, the duo used to always be at each other's throat when one's family was visiting the other's. Draco would search for every piece of candy hidden in Victoria's room and eat his discovery. Victoria would then dye his hair pink in his sleep, as a revenge. The difference in the consequences was, in fact, the house where the mischief was done. For instance, all the pranks at Lucius's manor —the Malfoy's ever since their ancestor moved from France— were laughed off by Narcissa and hidden from Lucius's wrath. On the other hand, Victoria's pranks at her father's manor never went unpunished. Melania would sanction both the elves who witnessed the chaos and her daughter. For that reason, young Victoria had always resented her one-year-older cousin for the trouble he would put her in. On the same note, she envied him to no end for having a mother such as her Aunt Cissy. She was always excited to go to her Uncle Lucius's for that, almost as much as she dreaded her return to the cold and unfriendly manor that she hated to call home._

_One day, in the summer of her seventh year, she was flying in the meadow not far from her Uncle's backyard when her head hit a tree branch and made her fall off of her cousin's broomstick. She woke up in her occasional room's bed, her head bandaged and a note on her nightstand next to a cup of tea and scones. A cup of tea and scones! Victoria thought with amazement. She unfolded the note and read it:_

_"Dobby found Miss Malfoy in the meadow next to Master Draco's broom. Dobby healed Miss head and brought her afternoon tea. Dobby couldn't wait for Miss to wake up, Dobby was afraid she might get punished again. Call for Dobby when you are finished eating."_

_She was going to fold back the note and hide it when Draco barged into her room and snatched the note from her unprepared hands._

_"What is this?" He asked eyeing the piece of parchment "And who sent these to you?"_

_"No one!" Vicky lied quickly, too quickly._

_"You're lying," he said flatly "did a house elf send you these?"_

_Her temper flared up as she folded her arms and looked away "You have no right to just come into my room!"_

_"I do have every right to be here, this is as much my room as it is supposedly yours," he said haughtily._

_"I fell in the meadow," she admitted "and I woke up here just a minute ago…"_

_Draco then unfolded the note and read it quickly "Dobby sent you this? And what's this allusion to you being punished?"_

_"It's none of your business!" she exclaimed._

_He lifted an eyebrow "Is it, now?" Draco taunted "We'll see what Aunt Melania thinks of that—"_

_"No! Please don't do this, please I beg of you, cousin!" she pleaded._

_"How did you fall anyway?" He asked feigning nonchalance._

_Her cheeks flushed red "Iwasridingyourbroomstick…"_

_He frowned "What?"_

_"I… Was riding your broomstick," she admitted shyly._

_His brow furrowed "How dare you use my things?! I'm going to tell!"_

_"No! Please, have pity!"_

_"No! You need to learn manners!" Draco declared stomping away from her room._

_"Please! She's going to hit me again!"_

_He stopped in his tracks and turned around, looking shocked "What did you say?"_

_She bit her lip, no one knew how much her mother mistreated her until she blurted it out, she shook her head "She only did it twice…" she muttered guiltily._

_He walked toward her again, slowlier "Why did she hit you?"_

_"Because I've been nasty," she said, shrugging as if it were supposed to be obvious._

_"She hit you for… That?" He asked astonished._

_"That was only because I— I disobeyed and I was being insolent, and— and—" she stammered, unsure of the honesty of her talk._

_"I'm going to tell—"_

_"—please don't!"_

_"—mother about this," he finished softly._

_She blinked twice "Why would you?"_

_"Because I want to understand why she would hit you, punishment isn't a good enough reason, there are other ways…"_

_She scoffed "Like you would know about punishment…"_

_"I do punish the house elves, but I never hit them," he said._

_She sat on her bed "Just do whatever you want, Draco. I am frankly tired of trying to please anyone…"_

_The blond boy was nearly on his way out when he walked back inside her room and, to her utter surprise, hugged her._

_"Uh… Can I know what you are doing?" Vicky asked, feeling awkward._

_He pulled away "No one deserves to be treated like that by their mother," he said solemnly before smirking "you're still a swine, though."_

_"As are you," she said smirking as well "would you like to share my tea and cakes?"_

_He nodded eagerly "Yes, thank you!"_

_"You're welcome…"_

_That was the very first time that they had had a moment of complicity. They quickly went back to their pranks after that, though. And, oddly enough, her parents had let her spend most of the summer holidays there. Her mother hadn't hit her since, and Victoria suspected Draco and Narcissa for that change._

_Marcus Malfoy was a busy father, and, when in a free period of time, he would either spend it with his brother or he would teach his wife the fine art of Legilimency which he had mastered over the years of being an interviewer of potential Azkaban prisoners. And Melania would teach him Occlumency, which was the exact opposite and how she had managed to keep every secret of hers from skilled Legilimens and her husband._

_Victoria had known about love the day when she was invited at Draco's house for dinner. After the meal, the two couples and cousins had gathered in the drawing room next to the fireplace and every one found an occupation. Victoria was reading, Draco was playing Wizarding chess with Marcus and Melania was working on an embroidery that she had left in Narcissa's work studio. Upon looking up from her book, Victoria had noticed her Uncle and Aunt huddled together in a loveseat whispering to each other. Lucius had a protective arm around Cissy's back and she was sat across from him, a smile on her face. He caressed her cheek while murmuring to her before kissing the woman he loved. Victoria darted her eyes back on the pages of her book, feeling as if she were invading her Uncle's and Aunt's privacy by looking at them. So that's what love looks like…_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Seven Years Earlier<strong>_

_It was their first year at Hogwarts, in mid-December when Draco received an umpteenth gift from Aunt Cissy and Victoria couldn't help but feel envious of his relationship with his mother. She averted her gaze toward his gifts of that week: a green and silver coloured chocolate box, a red and silver coloured candy pack and a brass scale —he had broken his a few days prior— with his initials engraved in black. Her eyes went upward when she noticed that he wasn't moving his hands anymore, he was gazing back at her pursing his lips. She bit her bottom lip and carried on eating breakfast._

_That night, she had heard a soft knock on the girls' dormitory door. She stood up and opened it trying to make as little sound as possible, nobody was at the door. She checked in the corridor, left, right… No one. She looked down and found a red and silver box with a folded note on it that read 'Vicky' from the outside. She lifted the box and paper and unfolded it._

_"I know you don't like chocolate, D."_

_She did recognize the box, and the 'D' was Draco's obvious initial… But how in hell would he know that she hated chocolate? She shrugged it off and went back inside the dorm, feeling happy and grateful. The candy box lasted a week and she enjoyed every single one of those sweets._

_That Christmas, she had received five gifts. One from her father: a bald eagle's quill. One from her Uncle: a Wizarding chess board. One from… Draco? He had offered her the same candy box again, but how…? No matter, she would thank him later. The next two gifts were from one person: Narcissa Malfoy. The first one was an astonishingly beautiful white dress, the second one was a bare diary with only one sentence written on the first page:_

_"Use it well, Aunt Cissy."_

_Victoria had cried herself to sleep that night. And, for once, those were happy tears._

* * *

><p><em><strong>One Year Earlier<strong>_

_The past two years had been nothing but bad surprises for the blonde. First: her parents and Uncle were Death Eaters. Second: Lucius was in prison, and it had a put a toll on Narcissa's mood. Third: Draco was assigned a suicide mission by Lord Voldemort as a punishment for Lucius's failure at the Department of Mysteries. Now, who would be as insane as to ask Draco to murder the greatest wizard of all time? The Dark Lord must have known that Draco would be incapable to do it, had he really hoped for him to succeed he would've ordered Victoria instead. Vicky knew that the remaining Malfoys were informed of Draco's mission, she also knew that they thought she didn't. But she noticed that something was wrong the very day after he had visited the Dark Lord, a week later she made Draco speak. She swore to help him, keep the secret and be his right-hand. In the end, Snape was who carried the deed. Vicky stayed out of everything, refusing to go with Bellatrix, Greyback and the Carrows when they were fleeing the castle._

_The next school year was chaotic. The headmistress was McGonagall at first, then she was replaced by Snape who put the Carrows in charge of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and half of Ravenclaw's discipline. Needless to say, she was constantly worried about Draco and his parents who were to assist to each of the meetings with the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters. She had made it clear to her parents that she did not want to be linked to the Death Eaters in any way, because unlike the Avery's, Parkinson's, Crabbe's and Goyle's they did ask her permission before submitting her to the Dark Lord, and she had refused._

_The biggest hit of her last year of studies had been the Battle of Hogwarts. She not only saw many of her friends die but she also had to witness her own father's death…_

_The blonde Slytherin had chosen to stick with the Order when Professor McGonagall presented her with her options. She knew that her family would be among the Death Eaters and she would do her best to protect the ones she loved. The battle was raging on when she was attacked by Greyback in front of the Great Hall's door._

_"Well, well," he said plaisantly "look what we have here? Looks like a defected Malfoy to me."_

_"Sectu—!" She cursed._

_But he was too fast in saying "Expelliarmus!"_

_The spell threw her against the nearest wall, wand out of her reach. She was still recovering from her head getting hit when he approached her slowly, openly enjoying her defenselessness. She was about to spit a curse word at him when he was thrown to the side, unconscious. Victoria looked up and saw that Muggle-Born Slytherin handing her her wand, she thanked her quickly before resuming her quest for her cousin and other relatives inside of the Great Hall. At some point, she was back in the Great Hall's entry when a collapse happened, her eyes darted in every direction, looking for someone she knew she could help. That was when she saw him. Short blond hair messy and dirty, bleeding temple, ear and nose; he looked devoured from the inside, from his weight loss, and the dark circles under his eyes revealed countless sleepless nights. The air left her lungs, before she knew, she was running toward him and taking him to a safer place, quieter. An empty classroom._

_"Vic— Victoria," he groaned._

_"Father, it's me… Are you alright?" What a silly question to ask! She scolded herself in thought._

_"Be-Better now that I kn-know you're safe," he let out using more power than usual._

_"Father, who did this to you?" She asked, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks._

_"Do-Doesn't matter," he says "I need… I need to t-tell you one thing…"_

_"I'm listening," she said during his pause._

_"I don't have much time left," he said in a sigh "but—"_

_"No, we can find some help, I can steal some healing potions, I can—" she stammered._

_"Shush," he hissed in pain "I am no child, I know when I am g-going to die… You need to know, V-Victoria, that your mother and I love y-you—"_

_"—I know—" she said, pain and tears splattering her voice._

_"N-No you don't," he hissed again "we never showed you, we never showed one another that we love you… Not unt-til Voldemort came back, d-did we realize that— you're our greatest treasure," he took some time to breathe properly "I k-killed Greyback," he said making her gasp, he carried on "I love you, daughter… Brother… Wife… B-Be safe, Victoria Malfoy…"_

_"I will," she said through sobs "I promise I will, fa—" she stopped speaking when she noticed that he wasn't looking at her anymore "Father?" She called shaking him a bit "Father, please answer me!"_

_She carried on calling for him, pleading and begging for him to come back to life. But he didn't. His upper body felt limp in her arms as she hugged him while crying her eyes out, throat burning from her repetitive sobs and choking on air. She cried for a half-hour, long enough to witness Voldemort's message about his forces retreating and Harry Potter joining him to the Forbidden Forest. She let her father's body laid down on the floor, eyelids closed, and rejoined the others in the Great Hall. There, she found Draco sitting with Blaise and Theo. Her face was still swollen from crying when she sat down next to him and snatched his coffee cup from his hands._

_He looked at her "Glad to know you're safe," he said matter-of-factly yet it still sounded bitter in his mouth._

_"How did they let you in? Didn't Lord Voldemort tell you to retreat?" She spat, unable to hide her disgust for Death Eaters even though she knew it was never Draco's choice._

_Her comment seemed to have hurt him, his face fell "They let me in because I had defected and had enough witnesses to prove so, so have Blaise and Theo…"_

_"Crabbe and Goyle still following orders, eh?" She asked before sipping on the warm brevage and closing her eyes with delight._

_He stared at her, face grave "They're dead, Victoria."_

_Her eyes nearly fell off as she cracked them wide open with shock "Are you serious?" She was still able to maintain her composure._

_"More than serious, I saw Goyle die with my own eyes." Draco said, not bothering to get into detail._

_"Who else?" She asked, not daring to show the concern in her eyes._

_"One of the Weasley's kids," he said evasively "Lupin… And Tonks" he added for emphasis._

_Her mouth was an indefinite 'o' before she spoke "Tonks? Are you sure?" She was outrageously close to their Half-Blood cousin._

_He nodded slowly before adding "Apparently it was Bellatrix… We're not sure though."_

_"Anyone else?" She asked._

_"Brown, Weasley's ex-girlfriend. I saw her body when I came in here… Who do you know of?" He asked._

_She nearly choked on his former drink, making Theo and Blaise who were having a conversation glance at her, before saying "Wh-What do you mean?"_

_"Haven't you seen anyone's… Passing away?" He said avoiding the word 'death'._

_She stared at him intensely before saying "Marcus…" letting a prolonged awkward silence settle as all three of the Slytherin boys stared at her in shock._

_Draco put a hand on her shoulder "Vicky, I—"_

_"Stop it," she said, not wanting her crying to resume in front of so many people._

_Blaise stood up to face her, he put his hands on her knees "It's alright to cry, he was your dad and—"_

_"Yes but I don't cry, I just… Don't," she said forcefully removing his hands from her legs._

_Theo glanced at her "Want to kill some more Death Eaters? I'm sure there's going to be a Round Two," he said most casually._

_She smirked before giving him her clenched fist "That's what I'm talking about," she said making the other two gape._

_He fist-bumped her "Leave me some, alright?"_

_"No guarantee there, Nott," she said before sipping back her now-cold coffee._

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

She is still walking, as slowly as possible, when she reaches the Lestrange's grave. Their gravestone says "Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange, Death Eaters" as if they had no family, no one who would want to know how long they've lived or in what era they were. She huffs at the discrimination, making three more steps to see her parents' name. "Marcus and Melania Malfoy, Death Eaters"

"Of course," she hisses "and obviously I don't have my wand to correct this shit!"

She rummages through her small purse, looking for something like a quill or eyeliner. She finds the latter and kneels before the gravestone, taking her time to write carefully each letter and number and erase the 'Death Eaters' title in the process. She stands up to admire her clumsy work and sighs: _If only I could keep my bloody wand,_ she thinks.

She then just sits in front of the gravestone, and before she can help it, a tear rolls down her cheek and lands on her shirt. A few minutes later, with more and more memories coming back to her, she finds herself sobbing uncontrollably, shaking, choking, unable to move except for her unusual activity. That's when she hears a crack not ten feet away from her, on the left. She scrutinizes every direction in search for someone who might be spying on her but finds nothing. She stands back up and wipes away her tears. No matter if the guard sees that she's cried, she doesn't care about anyone finding out because they know better than to mention it. She is, after all, Victoria Malfoy. And you don't mess with the youngest Malfoy.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So, many of you will want to fight. Some may even think that to fight is wise, but it is folly… Lol just kidding, seriously though, many of you would have been bored in this chapter because, who cares about the life of an OC anyway? But it will be important for the rest of the story, crucial even. And who doesn't like some Malfoy events? And it is my longest chapter yet, yeehee! Mostly because I didn't want to split the biography. As for Victoria, do you know Regina George? From Mean Girls? Yeah, she's the Hogwarts version of Regina George without all the shagging. **

**So yeah, I wanted to know if you liked the story so far and what changes might be good if you had any suggestions… And that's pretty much it, hope you enjoyed the chapter! Xo #SlytherinPride**


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